


Ronin, First Class

by CynicalScribbler



Category: Compilation of Final Fantasy VII, Final Fantasy VII (Video Game 1997), Final Fantasy VII Remake (Video Game 2020)
Genre: Alternate Universe, Canon-Typical Violence, F/M, Gen, Japanese Culture
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-11-22
Updated: 2021-02-12
Packaged: 2021-03-09 23:29:03
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 7
Words: 28,589
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27674038
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/CynicalScribbler/pseuds/CynicalScribbler
Summary: Cloud Strife is a wandering ronin, cursed with the scent of a yokai. He travels to Midgar, a city corrupted by the darkness of humans and yokai to meet a powerful priestess to rid himself of the curse once and for all.  Cloud finds himself caught up in the complex way of life of Midgar and the corrupted lifestyle of the Shinra Military Government, who has tainted Gaia almost beyond repair.  His world was taken from him, and all he has left is the feelings and faded memories of a time that he struggles to recall.All that matters is that he gets paid, or so he thinks.
Relationships: Tifa Lockhart/Cloud Strife
Comments: 22
Kudos: 67





	1. The Blue Eyed Ronin

The slow, consistent rattle of the train was as soothing a lullaby as any for the many passengers. Some cars were packed from wall to wall with people, everyone was excited or indifferent. A blonde-haired samurai was resting near the window, his arms crossed into the sleeves of his kimono for warmth.

Everyone had given him a wide berth the moment he stepped on the train which suited him fine. Against his shoulder rested an odachi, at his lap was his katana. Sleeping came off and on as the train cut through the countryside of the Midgar plains. Revolutionary train systems that could take you across the entirety of Gaia. Cloud wondered what kind of cost that came at, but given how many people were on the train cars that were excited for Midgar, he supposed it would be worth the price.

The posters were everywhere, even in the train cars: The promise of joining Shinra in the construction of Midgar, food, bed, community… everything that they could promise and more. It wasn't his concern, but it made it easy for him to board a train. Cloud's eyes opened halfway, the dull blue glow reflecting off the window as he watched plains roll by.

He could smell them, but the problem was that they could smell him too. Every so often they would find him, look him over and decide it's not worth it with Shinra MP's on almost every car. This one, however… was different. He stood next to his seat as Cloud's eyes slid over to him. He was a slightly taller than an average man with a furious expression, and an ethereal set of horns jutting out of his forehead.

"… Can I help you?" Cloud asked after a moment of pause, the man's nostrils flared and he let out a disdainful snort. He was contemplating his options, this train had a mingling of many people, and everyone was trying to keep their space. But this blonde-haired shit was just acting like he owned the train.

"You got a problem?" The man asked, hand on one seat.

"I'm looking at it," Cloud said. "I'm not bothering anyone."

"You're botherin' a bunch of us, kid," The man spat, leaning down. "Where the fuck do you get off, huh? You think you're some hot shit-"

"Look," Cloud said. "If you want to fight, can you wait until we're off the train?" That was not the answer he wanted, as the man's eyes widened in fury and burned red. His hand on the seat tightened and popped the fabric. The atmosphere in the car changed immediately, and many other passengers jumped and turned to watch in surprised fear.

"I don't think you understand," The man growled, his voice carrying an inhuman echo. "Who the hell are you?" People were already getting up to leave, the MP was moving in with a disdainful frown, his finger quick on the trigger of his submachine gun.

"A ronin, looking for work," Cloud said, his eyes shifting to the ruined seat. "Do you mind? You're upsetting some other people… you want this handled, we can do it after we get to Midgar, alright?" Cloud was taking a big risk just by going there, but he had no other options.

"Fine," The yokai growled. "But you're gonna be in for a world of fuckin' hurt when we get there, you get me? Midgar isn't the place for you to act so tough."

"Excuse me, sir-" The MP started, before the man slid a withering glance toward him and fished out some gil, shoving some bills in his pocket. "Here, for the seat… and you, blondie… we'll finish this when we get to Midgar."

"Whatever," Cloud said dismissively, letting out a sigh as the MP apologized and Cloud waved it off. He knew that was going to happen, but he was running out of choices. That man's scent wasn't the only one lingering through the train: There were more yokai going to Midgar than Cloud wanted to admit, hopefully not every single one of them was angry at him.

He wouldn't hold his breath, though.

\--

Arriving into Midgar was a feeling of slow dread that most people would never notice, it was like the creeping feeling of wrong that settled so comfortably into the background that nobody would notice. Cloud felt the hair on the back of his neck rise as he rose, slipping his katana back into his obi and picking up the odachi.

It was uncomfortable how little he thought about it after he had stepped off the train, his eyes roaming along the crowds of people. Everything looked… dated, unclean. There was a level of sickness in the air that he knew would become second nature to ignore, not to mention the faint glow of red eyes that were following him off the train.

That was at least a familiar feeling, and he took a morbid sense of comfort in that. Everything around the station looked like it hadn’t been cared for in decades, stone and dirt and junk seemed to line more than a few places. The pillars holding up the upper floors were huge, monolithic towers of metal and stone that Cloud had never seen before.

It gave him an unsettling sense of scale that he wasn't sure he could process right now.

"Hey, Blondie," The familiar, angry voice said behind him as Cloud looked, and it was the man, with more than a few friends. Dammit. He still wasn't surprised, but this wasn't the attention he wanted right out of the gate, and he still had no idea where the shrine was.

"You said we'd settle this off the train," he said, thumb pointing to a path further down the road. They were eager, and furious.

"I did, so let's get this over with… I have things to do," Cloud said, following the suited man and his cohorts. Running wouldn't do anything: He'd just be chased, and he'd have to fight exhausted. There were so many angry yokai here that it was unreal, he had more than a few glances his way and he could see the wispy manifestation of horns and that burning glow.

Maybe they were just waiting to see how it turned out, but someone here had to have information. Maybe he'd get lucky. However, judging by the fact that he was being led into what appeared to be a clearing in a junk pile, he was thinking luck wasn't going to have a lot of play here.

"You got a lot of fuckin' nerve, kid." The man snarled, his voice already distorting as his muscles bulged and twisted. There were so many of these people that had been twisted by the darkness in their lives, and Shinra was to blame… but that wasn't his problem. Cloud smoothly withdrew the odachi, casting the sheath aside as he settled into a combat stance.

"Last chance to step away like nothing happened," Cloud warned, fingers tightening around the handle of the blade before relaxing slowly. The yokai laughed. He knew it wouldn't work, but it gave him a few extra seconds to plan.

All together, there were at least eight of them and they were surrounding him in a loose circle. They were respecting the length of his Nodachi, but that also meant he had space to move.

"You got the fuckin' balls to say that when you're walking around like you own the place, huh? This is Midgar, this ain't some stupid little backwoods town like you're used to…we don't tolerate people like you coming in and acting like you're something special." He snarled. "And I'm gonna enjoy breaking that toothpick in half and ripping off your fucking head."

Cloud didn't understand what Sephiroth had done to make Yokai so angry with him, but that's why he was here…to find a solution, provided he could make it to the shrine without dying.

Cloud sighed, face settling into an annoyed frown. "You done talking?"

Every Yokai was different, especially the ones that came from humans. A lot of them were people who had felt furious at how things went, and put on the brink of their negative emotions. When they felt them so strongly, they got reckless.

That seemed to be the case here as the 'leader' rushed him. He was fast, his confidence was in the fact that he had probably killed other yokai, eaten humans and had enough strength to overpower most people. Cloud was not most people.

Before the yokai was even close enough to swing his fist, bigger than Cloud's head, Cloud's odachi was already swinging downward, the blade sheared through skin and bone, splitting the arm down the middle as half hit the ground in a wet, bloody slump.

Cloud stepped quickly to the side as the other yokai were already attempting to surge in. A quick glance to his left gave him enough time to weave back and swing upward, cutting across the face of his attacker. It didn't do enough to kill him, but it gave him breathing room as he funneled them in. They were slightly more intelligent than that, but only slightly.

They didn't come at him in a line; they spread out enough to give him no avenue of escape from his position, not that he needed one. Cloud shifted his sword to his side and planted his feet firmly as he gripped his odachi and twisted his hip in a wide swing. The blade connected against the side of one yokai and tore through his body like paper and continued on to lodge into the stomach of the next.

Cloud twisted his body around as the yokai howled in fury, dragged by the blade stuck in his gut as the last yokai circled around. Cloud pushed the blade through to sever the spine and bent his elbow back, the bloodied blade pointing forward.

The last yokai of the trio charged him, his feet crunching over the body of his former comrade as he stabbed the blade into the gut of the yokai. The yokai paused with a pained gurgle as he gripped the sword in frustration, but his fingers sliced off in a small spatter of blood. What the!?

"Didn't your mother ever tell you to keep your fingers off a sword?" Cloud said, before he drew the long blade back and swung wide, slicing him in half. Three down, his blue eyes settling on the other five. One of which was clutching a half cut arm in fury, teeth grit.

"What the fuck are you!?" One of the yokai spat.

"A ronin, I already told you." Cloud reminded. Now it was his turn. He took a step and there was nothing but a blur of robes and steel, his blade cleaving though two more in a wide stroke before they scattered out. That wasn't working, they needed to close in.

That moment of hesitation was all he needed as Cloud repositioned his sword for another stab, impaling through a yokai's stomach and ripping through the right. A yokai moved in to take advantage, but Cloud had already followed through on his swing and brought his sword up for a powerful downward stroke.

The yokai attempted to block it with his hands, but it sliced right through his skull and all the way down. The only two left were already charging in, the one with the wounded arm covered his weak side with his friend as Cloud took a step back, blade up in a defensive position.

The remaining yokai stepped in, slamming his fist down where Cloud had been standing, allowing his blade to landed on his skull and cleave him in two, repositioning his sword for a stab as Cloud dashed forward.

"You-" The one armed-yokai snarled, he moved to swipe him away in anger as the tip of the odachi found his stomach and plunged in, going all the way through the back as the yokai let out a horrid, chattering gurgle of pain as sickly blood rolled down his twitching mouth. Cloud twisted the blade up and lifted, splitting the yokai in half from the waist up as the body hit the ground.

His blue eyes focused on his surroundings carefully before he flicked his blade to the right, scattering the gore off his odachi and carefully sheathing it with a sigh. This was going to get ridiculous, he really needed to find some directions.

\---

Midgar was like any other city, if any other city had a layer on top of it. The slums underneath the plates was where the desperate, the laborers and the degenerates milled around. There were good people there, just trying to survive and make a living… but if you didn't know the area, it was hard to tell who was who.

Outside of Midgar wasn't exactly much better, but Cloud couldn't say he recalled as many people with weapons giving him as much of an indifferent glance other than the fact he was sporting an odachi on his back. As it stood, he really had next to no idea where he was going and the map that was near the station was only as useful as knowing where he was.

Currently, he was in Sector 7. That was about as useful as knowing the sky was blue, the other problem… well. Even a casual glance around told him that shrines in this city were probably not in abundance, but he also didn't want to attract even more attention thant he already had.

"You're not a hard guy to find, you know that?" A familiar, warm voice filtered through his thoughts, his eyes widening as he slowly turned. Brunette, red eyes, not so small anymore.

Not bleeding, not sobbing over the body of her dead father. Not looking at him with so much anger that it made his heart freeze. Cloud blinked away the thoughts, exhaling in surprise.

"… Tifa?" He said incredulously. Tifa had… grown up. Not in the way that everyone expected a woman to grow up, the look on her face was different. The life in it was so genuine, settled behind a perfectly constructed cage of experience. Her eyes glittered with a naked joy at Cloud's arrival that it caught him off guard, especially considering the rest of her felt so… locked up. She was dressed so modestly in an unassuming white kimono with a beautiful red tasuki to keep her sleeves back and black hakama. She was never a tomboy in a traditional sense, but to see her so… refined was shocking to his memories.

"Cloud," Tifa said warmly, smiling. "It's been a long time, hasn't it?"

"… Yeah, it has," Cloud said somewhat awkwardly, rubbing his neck. "… What are you doing here, Tifa?"

"Me?" she said, brows raised in amusement. "I live here, what are you doing here?"

"Wait, you live here?" Cloud frowned. "I thought-" Tifa's casual wave of her hand broke his thought, her smile seemed a little less genuine and a little more passive. It was so flippant and dismissive, but even Cloud could tell he had brought up something she didn't want.

"Things change," Tifa said. "Master Zangan made his choices, I made mine… more importantly, you're here to see the Priestess, right?" Cloud's brow furrowed deeper at that, looking her over with a newfound wariness. It's not that he didn't trust her, but… things change.

"How do you know that?" Cloud frowned.

"Well," Tifa said, hands behind her back with a playful smile. "A blue-eyed ronin who slays yokai isn't exactly hard to find out about these days, Midgar is full of people who tell all kinds of stories, you're kind of famous you know… I was surprised to see you come here, but I guess the other rumor is true too, isn't it?"

"… What rumor?" Cloud said, as Tifa motioned for him to follow her. He didn't really have a lot of choice, since he had no idea where to go and at the bare minimum, he trusted Tifa.

"There's been talk that Sephiroth has been seen in Midgar, or… more specifically… a silver-haired yokai," Tifa said, glancing at Cloud, whose expression solidified into a passive look. "Did you know that?"

"No," Cloud murmured. "I came here to see the priestess, do you know where she is?" Sephiroth was here…? That was going to complicate things, but it could also be a good omen.

"Yes," Tifa said. "Given the way you feel, you definitely need her help."

"… You can sense it?" Cloud murmured.

"I can, but I'm not sure if it's you or something else I sense." Tifa said, looking at Cloud. He had changed in some ways, but absolutely hadn’t in others. But… Nibelhiem had done a lot of things, to a lot of different people, and frankly… she had no idea how Cloud was still alive. Maybe she didn't remember something properly, but…

"What do you mean?" He frowned. "This is Sephiroth's doing, he… did something to me, and now these yokai won't leave me alone, everyone wants to pick a fight with me."

"That's true, Cloud," Tifa agreed. "But, you've fought all those fights… killed all those yokai, you've got an air about you that is… unsettling." She could sense Cloud, but… she could sense something else too. Something darker, more violent… and she wondered just how hard it would be to separate the two.

"It's Sephiroth," he repeated. "He did something weird, and now I can't stop fighting every yokai that comes at me, I've tried everything… I heard that the priestess here is so powerful that she is purifying Midgar street by street."

"Well, she is certainly that…" Tifa admitted. "The problem is that you getting there will draw attention to her, lots of attention she probably doesn't need."

"Do you have a better idea?" Cloud said in irritation. "I can handle it, Tifa, I've been handling it so far." That was true, but the fact was is that Aerith was an important facet of making sure the slums weren't so miserable, even if people didn't think much of it.

"Okay, okay…" Tifa said, turning to face him with a smile. "Why don't you stay with me for the night and we'll go see her tomorrow?"

"What? Tifa-" Cloud insisted.

"Cloud, you've been traveling all this way, and you were in a fight the moment you stepped into Midgar, I think it'd be a good idea to lie low before you put the entire Sector after you," Tifa frowned. "Aren't you tired?"

She saw that? How long had she…ugh.

"I'm fine, it's safer if I get there now." He wasn't, and he knew it. His body ached in ways he had never felt in his life, the constant fighting never seemed to end, it felt like he didn't know what 'relaxed' was. But he was so close, so close to an actual solution. So close to not having to watch his back every moment of every day.

"You'll be safe with me, I promise," Tifa smiled. "I haven't been doing nothing since we last seen each other, you know," she said, lightly punching her fist into her palm. "I know how to handle myself, and I've fought more than a few yokai."

"…And you know where she is?" Cloud asked again, warily. "We can go there?"

"First thing in the morning," Tifa promised. "I have a safe place you can sleep and everything."

"I don't have a say in this, do I?"

"Not really," Tifa giggled. "But if you think you can get past me, you're welcome to try." Cloud wasn't sure he had the energy, or the ability to want to test that bluff. That, and he didn't really want to fight her over it.

"Alright, alright…" Cloud sighed. "You win, as long as we go the first thing tomorrow."

"Good," Tifa decided with a widening smile. "Besides, it'll be fun to catch up, right? I'm sure you've been to all kinds of interesting places."

"That's one way to put it," Cloud agreed. Some of which he barely remembered, and the only thing he remembered was… feelings. Which was something even he didn't know what that meant. There were just spots in his head that didn't have any imagery, it was just… noises and feelings. "What about you?"

"Well, I know here and that's about it," Tifa said. "But that's enough, this is a big town, and it's got a lot of layers to it."

"Right, but you had to get here somehow," Cloud said, brow arched in confusion.

"Yes, but I was unconscious for most of it, Master Zangan brought me here after Nibelhiem." Tifa recalled. "It's..a little hazy, I don't remember much."

"Oh, and he just left you here?" Cloud asked.

"He chose to be elsewhere, I thought my talents could be better used here," Tifa shrugged. "You could do a lot of good here too, Cloud."

"Not interested," Cloud said, glancing to the side as they walked. Junk surrounded all the pathways here. The stench of filth and yokai filled the air, it was just like Cloud had guessed: After a while the unease kind of went away and it just felt normal. That was the most unnerving thing about this place.

"I just want to figure out how to fix whatever he did to me," Of course, the problem was if Sephiroth was really here or not, he wanted answers. He wouldn't even know how to find him if that rumor was true…"But… I am a ronin, and I need gil," he sighed. It would at least, give him a practical excuse to learn more about the city.

"Exactly," Tifa smiled. "And you're looking at one of the most knowledgeable people in Midgar!" she said, patting her chest proudly. "If you can do some work for me, I can get you whatever you need to know."

"Alright," Cloud said. He wasn't sure what he expected from Tifa, to be honest. It had been so long, but the memories of her had solidified so strongly that it was hard to separate the two. She was always confident compared to him, always the more popular and liked one. But she was different now in ways he didn't quite understand. "If that's what it takes."

Then again, he didn't know if he understood how he had changed either…if he had changed at all.

"Good," Tifa said. "You'll like it here, I promise! It's not as bad as it looks, and I know it looks pretty bad, but there's lots of good people here."

Cloud cast a glance up to the unforgiving plate looming above, the burning lights that gave off considerable surges of spiritual energy. It was almost generous, in a way… if you knew nothing about just how much wrong this place let out from its very being.

He had to wonder how bad it was everywhere else, if this is where good people lived.


	2. The Deadly Kunoichi

Sector 7 had its own community like any other sector under the plate, laborers were in constant demand to feed, arm, manufacture and work on Midgar. It was good money, if backbreaking and dangerous. People who lived in the slums were usually surviving in other ways. They were the ghosts of the city, the unmentionables who sometimes had the good fortune to work above the plate.

But for many of them, it was an entirely different world with its own rules, economy and safety. Tifa Lockhart wasn't sure how she had felt about Midgar when she arrived, but something about it pulled to her. Shinobi and Kunoichi served a very specific purpose and goal for their higher powers, but what higher power was there when Shinra was the only thing left?

No, her talents could be better used to help the people. However long that took, and whatever challenges that brought. It came with more than Tifa was expecting, but that wasn't a deterrent.

"Well, here we are," Tifa introduced with a casual wave around her as they stepped into the undercity proper. "Welcome to Sector 7."

It was, for all intents and purposes a town that Cloud had drifted through many times from his memory, except made from scrap metal and dreams. Still, he had to give the people here a lot more credit than he was originally thinking: It's not like the buildings looked terrible to live in… but they looked like they were made with whatever sturdy materials were on hand with some attempt at uniformity. Many of the buildings were constructed in a traditional style, but the Torii made of scrap metal instead of wood that was nestled at the entrance was probably some kind of sacrilegious gesture to any old priests. But he could feel something heavy leave his shoulders when he stepped through. The ofuda hanging from the rope along the beams of the torii were real, if this feeling was any sign.

It was impressive, if he was being honest.

"Not bad," Cloud said dismissively, much to Tifa's amusement as he watched the throng of people sort through, if they weren't laborers, they looked to be wives of laborers wearing simple cotton kimonos. The Neighborhood Watch as Tifa had explained, kept as much as they could be safe for travel, since nobody else was doing it. That explained all the armed and armored men and women he'd occasionally see.

"It's not much, but it's home," Tifa said fondly. "But more importantly, we're going to get you somewhere you can rest, you must be tired."

"I'm doing okay," Cloud said. He didn't even know what _rested_ was anymore. He was so used to the feeling of being watched that _not_ being watched caused him even worse paranoia. They were just people in every sense of the word, mostly safe and mostly happy. The thought alone that anyone could find joy in this declaration of yomi on Gaia was disturbing.

"Well, you'll be doing more than okay soon," Tifa promised, leading him up the hill. Everyone seemed to know her, he felt like a sour shadow to her sunshine. That felt a little too familiar, a little too real to a mind that was struggling to recall the past few years with any explicit detail.

"Some things never change, huh?" Cloud added in humorlessly.

"And other things do," Tifa responded in kind. "Never would have pegged you as a yokai slayer, Cloud." There were a lot of things she had thought he'd turn out, but this wasn't it; He looked supremely confident, focused… and more than a little skittish. Some of those things were familiar, but not quite in the combination she saw now.

Cloud's face settled into an imperceptible expression. "Well, pays the bills I guess, had to put my training to good use." He had fought yokai before, in Nibelheim. Hadn't he?

"It certainly shows," Tifa said. "Not every day you see someone with an odachi."

"It's a momento, from a friend." He said, his eyes casting to the apartment building at the top of the hill. Midgar had changed Gaia in ways that many were still struggling to understand. Gone were the long days of everyone in kimono, some wore slacks and dresses. Some claimed it was an attempt to dislodge traditional values away from the protection against evil, others said they were glad clothes were cheaper.

Cloud just figured yokai didn't want everyone praying at temples anymore. But that was a topic for another time and likely not the fault of Stargazer Heights, where an elderly woman and a dark kimono was resting against the railing. Her sharp-eyed, hawkish features lit up at Tifa's arrival.

"I was wondering where you scurried off too, girl," Marle sniffed, rising carefully as her eyes slid over to Cloud. Cloud felt a minor feeling of dread just from her gaze, but he couldn't quite place why. Maybe the surprising glimmer of spiritual energy rolling off her.

"Marle, this is Cloud, one of my friends." Tifa introduced with a smile as Marle cocked a brow. A friend, of Tifa? "Cloud, this is Marle, she helped me get adjusted to Midgar when I came here."

Cloud nodded politely to Marle as she looked him over. "Bit of a scrawny thing, but I suppose you must have some meat on you to carry that big thing on your back."

"Marle, please," Tifa chuckled. "Be nice, Cloud's an old friend… do you still have that empty room?"

"Mm? Oh, yes… here," she said, tossing her the key as Tifa blinked in surprise. "I have some things I'd like this boy to do, we can consider it rent for the first month."

"Really?" Tifa perked up, smiling warmly. "You're the best, Marle, thank you! Let me get some fresh sheets for you, Cloud!" She said, excusing herself to go into the supply closet in Marle's room.

"You treat that girl right, you hear me?" Marle said as Cloud frowned in confusion.

"Sorry?" He said. He didn't even do anything, he was just being quiet and polite…

"Tifa don't got many friends, at least… none she can really say she's opening up to," Marle huffed. "Haven't seen her smile like that in a long time, she's got a real pretty smile, doesn't she?"

"… Yes, she does." Cloud said. She always did, he still remembered being a dumb, stupid kid that always tried to do anything to get her to notice him, to get her to smile. And now, he was just doing it by… existing? He rubbed his neck with a light sigh. Marle’s gaze was unyielding on him, which was another level of discomfort.

"… you got a foul air round you," Marle frowned. "Lots of hatred, and anger." He carried it so casually, like he had never experienced a time he didn't have it. How did someone so young have that much pain? It was a common thing these days, and that made it even worse to see.

"It's a rough world," Cloud said with a light shrug. "I'm here to make it less rough, what work do you have for me?" He asked as Tifa came out, holding a collection of linens.

"Tomorrow," Marle assured, waving it off. "We need to make sure your room is properly warded." she said, following Tifa up the steps as Cloud followed suit, frowning.

"Excuse me?" Cloud muttered. "Warded? Why?"

"Because you stink of death and yokai, boy… and you're a risk being here," Marle sniffed. "I'm only housing you because Tifa trusts you."

"It will only be for the night, Marle, I promise," Tifa said, moving to the door in the middle to unlock it. "I just need to check some things out first, and Cloud needs some rest."

"I'm fine," Cloud said with a sigh. "I'd really prefer going there as soon as possible, Tifa." He felt tired, but this was important… what was one more day when he had been waiting months, if not longer? He couldn't remember…

"And I'd prefer you trust me and listen," Tifa said, smiling sweetly. "But I guess we can't have everything we want, can we?" She said, bumping her hip to open the door.

"She's got you pegged," Marle added unhelpfully as Cloud rubbed his head with an irritated grumble and stepped inside, taking his zori off with the rest of them. It was… a room, the entire apartment was not traditional, more modern Midgar design that felt kind of hollow. Beggar's couldn't be choosers, but it was a strange mix of traditional and Midgarian designs in the city. It was a bed, a bathroom and… a window. That was it.

It would do, he supposed. At least the floors were tatami, that was somewhat comforting. Tifa made the bed with all the precision of a housemaid as Marle went around, slamming down ofuda talismans against the walls. She would size him up, frown, and then put more down.

Cloud stood at the doorway like a child who wasn't sure what to do, glancing at the both of them.

"There," Tifa said, patting the sheets down. "That should be good for you, I'd love to stick around, but I have some things I need to do… I'll come get you in the morning, okay?" Tifa smiled.

"… Sure," Cloud nodded as Marle finished setting the talismans along the walls. It felt… excessive to have every single wall dotted with ofuda, but also worrying on some small level. Was it excessive? Cloud was not exactly an expert in sensing and feeling spiritual energy and auras like some others, he didn't really know how he gained the ability to do so.

Was he… really that terrifying? It wasn't a thought he wanted before he laid down to sleep, but it felt like he had no choice.

"Suppose it would be better to make sure you got that evil outta you before I start running you ragged," Marle grinned. "But maybe ol' Marle can take some of the edge off for you."

"… I… appreciate it?" Cloud mumbled awkwardly, shifting his odachi off his back to set it against the wall as he looked around. He didn't know if he should be insulted that it felt like a prison, but maybe he deserved to be in one if he was that much of a risk.

"I'll see you in the morning, Cloud," Tifa said, turning to leave. "Get some rest, okay?"

"Sure," Cloud murmured, waiting until they left for him to shed his haori. That was as comfortable as he could get anymore as he settled his head back on the bed, staring up at the ceiling. He didn't recall the last time he had slept in the dark, and he wasn't about to test his luck now. But…maybe a few hours of sleep couldn't hurt.

\--

"Quite the boy you have there," Marle said as they headed down the steps. "Got a lot of darkness in him, that one."

"Yes," Tifa murmured, frowning deeply. Most of it was not his, but… that was hard to tell. There were so many emotions swirling around him that felt like Cloud and didn't at the same time, it took some focus to put on a straight face and ignore it. Because it felt so _familiar_ that it hurt. "Is it going to be okay to keep him here, Marle?"

"It should be, at least for a night… I can't promise much else though," Marle sniffed. "Why didn't you just take him to Aerith? It's clear he needs it."

"He needs rest," Tifa said, shifting the tasuki off her sleeves. "And I need to get some work done to help him, have you heard anything out of the ordinary, Marle?"

"Nothing worth your time," Marle said. "I'll keep an eye on him, but you be careful, alright? Somethin' in the air is different these days… but I suppose we could say that for every day."

"Yeah, something like that," Tifa smiled. "I'll be back later, okay?" She needed to change, because she needed information, and the most dangerous tool in her arsenal aside from the fact that she could fight a yokai with her bare hands was her beauty. Everything was a weapon if you knew how to sharpen it.

\--  
The Wall Market was a notorious place for decadence in a place where yokai and humans mingled freely. It gave Don Coreno an incredible amount of clout, but there was no torii gate to protect the weaker humans: they would eventually succumb to their base desires and turn into yokai and life would go on. It was sad, but that was Midgar: Full of hope that eventually gets snuffed out because people don't have the energy to care.

Tifa sauntered onto the major street of Wall Market, dressed in a thin indigo minidress with matching heels and golden moon earrings. It hugged down her figure, and the backless dress showcased her toned back and the straps of her bra. The matching purse with her made her look a little rich, excessive. It was attention grabbing, sultry. In Wall Market it was a little more normal.

She had to be careful, every time she came here it had to be another dress, another way of coming in. It was like a play she always had to remember everything for. Today, she was Rachael, a green-eyed beauty. Tomorrow, it could have been anyone else. Rachel wasn't shy, Rachael was commanding, confident and sexy. She walked like she could drain a million men and kept going; she didn't have issues opening up or being honest.

Sometimes, Tifa wished she was actually Racheal. But that was an issue for another magazine. She made sure to look like a tourist; checking out all the places with a wide-eyed sense of wonderment. She knew who she was looking for, she just needed to make it look natural.

The Wall-Market was always busy with prostitutes, tired businessmen and women and Coreno's gang milling around. And that still left room for the ronin under pay, and the gambling dens on every corner. Finding information was easy, finding information _safely_ was another matter entirely.

She was already formulating a plan to get her information based on what she had seen, but there were always unknown factors to account for. In this instance, it was her own bleeding heart and her friendship to a man who had zero spiritual awareness and a questionable sense of self-preservation.

"I can't believe it… Tifa, my darling… it was all for *hic* you…" She knew that voice like a bad dream that wouldn't go away, 'Racheal' turned to see a handsome man wearing an uncomfortable amount of denim, and dyed red hair stuck on end like a rooster crown. He looked like he had been crying for the past hour, and his face was as red as his hair.

Johnny. God _dammit._

Her green eyes flicked behind him to see the collection of horns and grinning faces, Corneo's men dressed like a bunch of propped up animals in flashy colors and wild hairdos.

'Racheal' put on a warm smile, tucking her hair behind her ear. She couldn't let Johnny be eaten alive, because he would be… literally. She stepped in front of him, his drunken, sad eyes settled on her with an almost childlike wonder. It was a shame Johnny was so… Johnny sometimes. He was quite the looker, and she would have been a great wingman for him to find a girl.

"Hey there, stud," She murmured. "What's the matter? Your girl dump you?"

"Oh, Miss!" Johnny sobbed, throwing her arms around 'Racheal' as she blinked in surprise. If Tifa wasn't actually in shape, she felt like she would have been knocked over. "It's terrible, awful!" She still had to dig in so she didn't fall off her heels, ugh, drunken Johnny was like an incoherent dog. And she meant that somewhat affectionately.

"There there…" She soothed, patting his back. "What happened?" She said, gently wrenching him away. Johnny blinked, regarding her a moment. He had latched on like iron chains, and she just pulled him off like that…?

"Wow, you're…you're really strong, just like my angel…" He said blearily. "I had it all in my hands, you know? All I needed was one good roll and…and then! And THEN!" He sobbed, arm over his eyes. "I lost it, I lost ALL of it! I was gonna buy her a house, you know!?"

Tifa couldn't tell if Johnny was so drunk that he wasn't making sense, or that he was so drunk that the filter came off. She wouldn't be surprised on either. It was endearing, in a very strange and somewhat uncomfortable way. He meant well, he just never seemed to learn how to filter his thoughts.

"Aw, you poor thing… why don't we set down and get you some water, and see if I can cheer you up a little?" She smiled.

"You're a saint…" Johnny sobbed. "An angel! A gift from the heavens!"

"Uh huh," Tifa smiled, her eyes settling on the crowd that moved in towards her.

"Come on now, sugar… you don't want to be with that loser," Corneo's men were problems everywhere, but in Wall Market it was even worse. They were unchecked animals, able to do whatever kept their way going and Don Corneo wouldn't stop them. She counted four, which was about four too many to deal with in the open. The leader was a man with the most obnoxious dragon adorned tank-top she had ever seen, which seemed to be inlaid with some glimmering fabric that made it shine in the neon lights.

He grinned widely; he was bald and muscular and seemed really eager to show off those tattooed arms. The more concerning problem was the pistol tucked into his belt. All of them were yokai.

"He blew all his cash on some stupid gamble, and now he's trying to pay it off with more gambling!" He cackled, sauntering forward as his men exchanged grins, moving in with him. Really, Johnny… could you at least stop crying?

"Oh?" 'Rachael' smiled. "Well, I am new to this part of town… do you think you could show me around?"

"Oh, definitely!" Dragonshirt leered in excitement. "You just need to dump that loser and we can show you the best night you'll ever have, you know?" She slid her eyes along the grinning group, then reached into her purse to give Johnny a few gil.

"Here, for water," 'Rachael' smiled. "Get something to drink and head home, alright? I'll deal with this,"

"Huh…?" Johnny sniffed. "B-But miss, you can't just-"

"Sure I can," 'Rachael' assured. "Besides, can't have you getting hurt… what would your girl say?" she winked. Ugh, she really didn't want to encourage him, but she wasn't Tifa right now. Sometimes acting was a sacrifice. And frankly, if she had to use her charms as someone else to get him to be safe, then she’d do it.

"Hold up there, sweet thing," Dragonshirt leered, sauntering forward as she rose to regard him. "If you're tryin' t' get him out of his money owed, we're gonna need a lot more than just a friendly drink."

"Oh, I know," 'Rachael' nodded, arms crossing under her breasts to perk them up as she leaned in. "I think we can come to an agreement… hopefully we can go somewhere a little more private?"

"Damn," Dragonshirt grinned widely. "You're alright, you know that? Yeah, sure… not like he owes a ton of fuckin' gil anyway, c'mon, we know the best place to go."

"Good," 'Rachael' smiled, casting a glance to Johnny, who was still dumbfounded as they walked away. Huh…maybe it was just the incredible amounts of booze, sadness and the creeping feeling that Tifa was potentially out of his league, but she looked _really_ familiar.

\--  
It was easy to make men talk when they were horny, wording innocuous questions to get the exact response she wanted wasn't exactly hard. The hard part was measuring their expectations. Risk and reward, the delicate balance of getting what you want without exposing too much.

"You're lucky you're travelin' with us, darlin." Dragonshirt sniffed. "There's been some _crazy_ shit going on, and Coreno is the only one who can keep it together!"

"Really?" 'Rachael' said, eyes wide as she settled a hand over her mouth in shock. "I can imagine so, all of you look so strong! I bet it's really hard to keep order, what kind of stuff has been happening? Is it safe?"

"Oh, hell yeah!" Dragonshirt laughed. "We got this place under control all the time! It's great! People been sayin' all kinds of shit about crazy yokai runnin' around, but we're way stronger than them! You stick with us and you can go anywhere you want!"

"Wow," 'Rachael' purred. "That sounds amazing, you'd really do that for a girl you just met?" She knew Wall Market like the back of her hand, and they were leading her toward one of the shadier inns with minimal escape routes and nestled into a wall of a building. The place that as long as you didn't break the room, you could do whatever you wanted.

"Don't you worry, we'll treat you right," Dragonshirt promised. They were in an alley now, only a few steps away from their paradise. The alleyway was slightly small: Only two of them could walk next to each other. It gave her the perfect time to start asking questions.

"I'm glad," 'Rachael' said. "Because there's a lot I want to know," she said, slipping her hair back with a shy smile as she turned to face Dragonshirt. "And you guys are probably the best to ask, huh?"

"Damn right!" Dragonshirt sniffed. "Ain't nothing we don't know-"

"Have you seen a silver haired yokai?" she asked. "Long flowing hair, about six foot tall… probably has a sword longer than he is," she asked with that self-same smile. Dragonshirt blinked, glancing to his three friends who looked as equally confused. But he wasn't dumb, not entirely: Corneo didn't hire idiots, he just hired thugs.

"… Who the fuck are you?" Dragonshirt growled, his eyes glimmering red. It was a good intimidation tactic for lots of reasons. But she had the advantage here, because of the alleyway…and because this wasn’t her first time with yokai, or her last.

"So you have seen him," Tifa said with a smile. "Great! What do you know?"

"Are you deaf, you dumb bitch?" Dragonshirt said, leaning down to leer at her with a heavy growl. Tifa could see his fangs already elongating as she kept her smile, and her leg shifted upwards. It would have been a beautiful view of what matched with her dress underneath if she didn’t take a quick hop from her heels and her knee slammed into his jaw with violent force. It slammed into the top of his mouth in a spray of teeth and blood as he staggered back and hit the ground, reeling in pain.

Dragonshirt's men were stupified, staring at him who was currently clutching his bloody mouth as he stared at her in hot fury, shaking as he rose to his feet.

"Let me ask again;" Tifa said, clearing her throat, hands behind her back in an unassuming posture. Get them angry, make them stupid. "What do you know about the silver-haired yokai?"

"Fuck you, I ain't tellin you shit!" Dragonshirt spat, blood flecking along the ground. "Kill this stupid slag!" She was expecting this, but she was kind of hoping she didn't have to. But Coreno's thugs weren't stupid; they wouldn't tell anyone anything without a lot of heavy reminders of the alternative. Corneo was ruthless to his men who snitched. But sometimes the current death was more terrifying than the future one.

They had no reservations about transforming here, but they still had limited space to work with. She only needed one alive to talk, otherwise she'd be outed. Dragonshirt hugged the wall as he still clutched his bloody mouth in fury, how the hell did that woman hit so fucking hard?!

Tifa weaved back the first thug came in, his fist coming fast in a straight punch. She shifted inward, connecting a solid hook to his right side that made him jerk slightly in surprise before connecting with a left hook against his jaw that had him sputter back. She took a focused breath and planted one of her feet and thrust her fist forward in a determined straight punch that connected with the force of a pile bunker.

Her fist slammed solidly against his chest as the ribcage compressed and snapped, flying him back as the others ducked in shock, glancing over to the woman who let out an easy exhale. She cast her purse aside, and lifted her leg up to remove her heel and followed suit with the other, tossing them over to her purse.

She darted in before they reacted, the close space worked better for her than it did for them: Her elbow collided with the thug on her right, the attempted swing by the thug on her left hit his friend and Tifa took advantage of the chaos by gripping the man's arm and tugging. He hissed in pain as Tifa yanked him forward and she focused, channeling the faint glimmer of her spiritual energy into a downward chop that connected viciously with his neck in an audible _snap. _

The thug's eyes widened as his head bent to his ear resting on his shoulder and he hit the ground. The other roared in fury and grabbed her from behind, hoisting her up.

"You fuckin' skank! I'm gonna rip your goddamn head off!" His gurgled, distorted voice was picking up and Tifa reared her leg back and slammed her heel as hard as she could into his groin. He howled in pain and surged forward to slam her against the wall next to her, a yokai didn't need much force to be so deadly. Tifa's legs shot up against the wall in front of her and held it with a grunt of focus, before she snapped her head back to push with her legs to slam against the thug's head as hard as she could, knocking him into the wall behind them.

It hurt, but she also heard the painful, heavy _snap_ of bone as he let go of her. She dropped to her feet and rotated, her foot lashing out as it slammed against his face and she followed through, sparks screeching across the wall as her foot slammed his face into the ground in a spider-webbed crater that shook the walls. People would ignore it, violence was as common in Wall Market as neon lights.

Dragonshirt stared at her in horrified awe as she turned to face him, moving to collect her heels to slip them back on, smoothing out her hair.

"Sorry that I broke your face, but I don't like it when people call me names," Tifa smiled. "So, what do you know about the silver haired yokai?"

He seemed more than willing to talk then.

\--

Cloud would have been insulted that he was locked into his room until daylight, but Merle was at least kind enough to provide him dinner he ate with the ferocity of a starving animal. Cloud couldn't remember when he ate last, that was probably a concern for another time.

He had barely finished his food before the desire to sleep took him. He didn't know where it took him, but it was nowhere he wanted to be: All he could ever see was fire, the heat against his skin… a black-haired man whose face was always settled in some kind of lackadaisical grin had shifted into determination.

And Tifa.

It was always Tifa. Always Tifa, crying over her father's body… then bleeding, clutching her side with a frustrated, angry face. The frustration that burned in his chest always came to him like a slow burn. It was like snapshots that left him more confused than anything. This wasn't the first time, and it wouldn't be the last.

But this time was different, he had seen the same images for months now… but this one, this one he saw him: With silver hair and wings as dark as the shadows, and he turned… his green eyes drowned everything out in their purity, their radiance. Cloud's eyes snapped open, and he shot up, sweat settled on his face as he clutched his blankets with his shaking hands, gasping for breath.

… Just a dream.

But every single ofuda against the walls now lay scattered along the floor like leaves, blackened to a crisp.


	3. The Light of the Preistess and the Darkness of the Soul

"Cloud, huh?" The airy amusement along Aerith's voice was not lost on the occupant across the table who sipped his tea with a light sigh.

"Yup. that's his name… he's a good kid, but a little lost in his own world right now, I was hoping he'd come this way for you to help him," He said, his blue eyes settling on the woman in front of him. She was all smiles, with green eyes that promised sincerity, kindness and warmth to everyone she met.

And maybe a little mischief.

"Hm, is he cute?" She asked, head tilted faintly. As if that was a standard she actually had. Aerith would help anyone that came at her steps, for better or worse.

"Oh, very cute. He's a hero, you know? Just like I am." The man said, waving it off as if it was no big deal. Cloud was probably going to be better at it than he was, he had a better start in it.

"Wow, you found a protégé a long last?" Aerith giggled. She was happy for him, she was used to seeing the hope in his eyes be so…hidden. Now it was like he could really be himself.

"Something like that," He said, rubbing his dark hair with a sigh. "listen, I really appreciate you helping me out with this, Aerith… but don't tell Cloud, okay? He's… going through a lot, and him knowing I'm here wouldn't do him any favors yet."

"That's assuming I can help him, you know," Aerith reminded. "I'll do my best, but this sounds pretty serious… and if this yokai is the one floating around Midgar, it's going to be really difficult-"

"It'll be fine," The man promised with an affable grin, scratching his scarred cheek. "You're always good at figuring these spiritual things out, right?"

"Uh huh," Aerith said dryly. "So, what are you going to do?"

"Get some answers," He said, rising with a light sigh. "Just do what you can for him, okay? I'll owe you."

"You already owe me," Aerith reminded with a grin. "So now you'll owe me more?"

That sent a small shiver of terror down his spine, but he had no other choice right now.

"Yeah yeah…" He sighed, head hanging. "Just do what you can, please?"

"Absolutely," Aerith said as he slid open the door and shut it behind him to leave. Aerith blew softly on her tea and took another sip, her eyes closing. The wind blew into the room, and her eyes opened.

To a handsome face with bright, emerald eyes and long silver hair. His expression calm. He radiated death like a cloak which was perhaps appropriate with the amount of black he was wearing. There was so much anger, so much hatred at the surface that it was hard not to look at him with pity. He ignored it.

"… To what do I owe the honor, sir?" Aerith said calmly, sitting her cup down. "Would you like a drink?"

"Yes, please." Sephiroth said. "I apologize for my unplanned arrival, but it seems I was too late to stop you from changing your mind."

"Is that so?" she said, slipping her sleeve back with her other hand as she poured him a cup and inched it forward. "And what exactly are you trying to tell me?"

"Cloud is a very important part of my plans, Priestess..it would be a shame to lose him." Sephiroth said. "But someone who respects the planet as well as you do, would also be a considerable loss." he said, taking the cup and sipping. "The planet is sick, and you are doing everything you can to help heal it in its worse place… but Cloud, Cloud is needed."

"I see," Aerith said. "I help all who come to my temple, sick or not… are you here to get help?" Aerith smiled. "Or are you here to threaten me?"

"I need no help," Sephiroth assured. "I know exactly what I must do, and I do not want to consider you an obstacle, Priestess."

"Then don't," Aerith said. "If you are truly an ally of the planet, then know that everything I do is to help it, so I would be helping you too." she smiled.

Sephiroth chuckled. "I see… then I suppose that the next time we meet, this will be less cordial."

"I hope not," Aerith said, smiling sadly. "It must hurt, to have so many burdens that aren't yours."

"They are mine, because it is my right to fix it." Sephiroth assured, rising smoothly. "No one else can understand the cry of the planet."

"Mmhm," Aerith said. "Your mother would think differently." She said, her green eyes meeting his. Sephiroth's face tightened, his lips pulling back into a forced smile. This woman was far more dangerous than he had expected.

"You know nothing of my mother," Sephiroth said, sitting his cup down. "My mother-"

"I know enough of your mother," Aerith said, taking another sip. "I know that her pain surrounds you like a blanket, it must hurt to see her son so far off his path, how it must hurt to watch him struggle with lies… you hold so much in you that is not yours."

There was a silence as Aerith's eyes settled on him, and his expression remained indifferent. The fury was not in his face; it was in his aura… his very body hungered for blood, for violence. To see rivers of red and the victorious roar of yokai.

"You are here because I allowed you to be," Aerith said calmly. "Your anger has no place in this sacred temple, and you will not defile these holy grounds with your corruption." She said, smiling. "Please leave, before you are forced to leave."

"… Very well," Sephiroth said. "I suppose that this will be our last friendly chat."

"If you are truly a friend of the planet, then we will always have a time to talk," Aerith said. "I will guide every lost soul to the light if I must, that includes you."

"I know my path, Priestess… let us hope that yours stays bright," he said, turning to leave the room. "Tell Zack that I said hello when you see him next, will you?" He said, smiling at her as he shut the door behind him, and the thick aura disappeared so quickly that Aerith had to take a breath, sweat glistening along her brow. It was like she was holding something in she didn't know until it was gone.

That power was extreme, she didn't know if she'd be able to protect herself outside of this shrine. It was such an overwhelming feeling at first, like he was trying to suffocate you before you could remember to breathe.

Zack… what exactly did you get into?

\--

Before Shinra, there were people who lived in communities lead by lords. There were skirmishes and constant warfare to determine who could best rule the land. There was a persistent culture of warfare and martial pride that not even Shinra could break. But that implied Midgar made things better.

Midgar just stopped the violence between humans, it just made everything else worse. The survivors of those wars that crippled lords and lands alike were either warriors without equal, or people who decided that honor meant nothing if you died to a monster. Unfortunately, most of them were the latter. The unrelenting tide of Yokai had crippled the world and left many communities with little to defend themselves against the constant assaults from Yokai.

It was really only through Midgar's own personal desire to rule everything that some communities had life brought back to them. People were too tired to argue the differences, safety was more important than anything else. Midgar promised labor, safety and life. For Ronin, it also promised a way to ply their skills again.

Cloud knew most of this already, but as he and Tifa walked through the worn down paths that connected all the sectors together, it became a little more clear why ronin had spoke high and low of Midgar: Danger was everywhere, and with the curse that Cloud had… it felt even worse.

Tifa knew that the moment they stepped out of the Undercity of sector 7 was going to be a challenge. Anyone with a shred of spiritual imbalance looked at Cloud like he was the next big target, and yokai that sulked around the junk. Cloud hardly looked phased at the almost predictable pattern that the yokai seemed to sulk around him, waiting for their chance.

Tifa didn't know if that was more frightening than the curse or not.

"How long have you been dealing with this?" Tifa said, her crimson eyes scanning along the pathway. Lesser yokai were learning better, but that didn't stop the bigger ones from trying something.

"Long as I can recall," Cloud shrugged, his odachi resting against his shoulder. "It's not so bad for the most part, here is probably the worst it's ever been… guess I'll have my work cut out for me," he mused.

"… Wait, as long as you can recall?" Tifa frowned. "How… how long is that?"

"… Sometime after Nibelhiem, I think," Cloud said. "I don't remember, it's a little… hazy."

Tifa stared at him, but said nothing. "…Oh." Five years. It had been five years since Nibelheim. "You don't remember anything?" What was going on in five years that he couldn't remember them? Cloud had just… disappeared, and she assumed it was Shinra or he had died.

"Not really," Cloud shrugged. "I'm not… really sure why, but I remember Sephiroth and… well," he shrugged. "I remember joining Shinra, I think, I mean… where else would I learn how to use a sword?"

"That's true," she smiled. "You're not bad with a sword, either… I don't recall you being that talented, I guess you've gotten a lot of practice since we last met." She wasn't sure what to tell him, or… how to tell him.

"Being SOLDIER will do that," Cloud said, stopping at one of the travelers shrines that was adorned with ofuda and good luck charms. It looked constructed with love and care.

Tifa stood beside him, clasping her hands together in a silent prayer. A cat-like spirit lounged lazily in the statue's lap, its ears flicking faintly.

"You're a better person than that, Cloud," Tifa said, and she made a prayer for that to be true. The cat's eyes opened to stare at both of them. Cloud's eyes slowly opened to stare at the cat in return. It amazed him that there were still benevolent spirits in Midgar.

"… I don't know," Cloud said. "How much farther to to the Priestess?"

"We've still got a little ways to go," she smiled. "Come on, don't look so down, you don’t like walking with me?"

"It's nothing like that," Cloud said, giving a small bow with Tifa as they continued to walk down the path. "I just want this done with so I can do what I came here to do."

"Right," Tifa said, hand slipping through her hair. "Well, I suppose you're in luck… I did some digging last night, and I found out that a silver-haired yokai has been spotted in Midgar, about six feet tall, long silver hair..and an even longer blade." she said, glancing to Cloud.

"So he is here," Cloud frowned deeper. "That simplifies things."

"Does it?" Tifa asked dryly. "What exactly are you planning to do, Cloud?"

"Kill him," he stated simply. "He's a yokai, so he has to be killed… that's all there is to it, especially for… well," he mumbled. "Everything."

"And how are you proposing to kill him?" Tifa said. "Just walk up to him and fight him? Do you really think it'd be that simple?"

"Yes," Cloud said, eyes toward the path. "I'll figure it out, Tifa."

Well, some things didn't change at all, did they? She supposed that made sense, if he could barely remember the past five years. She stopped in front of him, frowning.

"… What?" Cloud said.

"You're going to kill the strongest samurai that Shinra has ever had," Tifa said, arms crossing. "Just like that."

"It's him or me," Cloud frowned. "What else am I supposed to do?"

"I don't know," Tifa sighed. "But do you know what you're even suggesting?"

"Yes, that I kill Sephiroth," Cloud repeated. "Are you going to help me, or not?" It wasn't that Tifa didn't want to help him, it was that Tifa wasn't sure what it would take to have that happen, and Cloud was so focused that she…well, maybe it was better if she went along with him, anyway.

"Well," she said, motioning for him to follow. "It's not like you know where you're going yet, so maybe you should be a little kinder to your help, Cloud."

"… Sorry," Cloud sighed, following. It was hard to tell how sorry he was, but she appreciated the apology, anyway. "There's just… a lot, Tifa, someone needs to do something about him."

"I know," Tifa murmured. "But I don't want you getting yourself killed over this just because, got it? If you're really serious about this, no running off on your own." Not that Tifa didn't want to see him punished either, but what cost would it take for that to happen? How many more people would die to him, how much more would she take before it was too much?

She was almost jealous of Cloud; he remembered what happened but none of the suffering in-between. It must have been still so fresh in his mind that he could only think of one thing, she had her moment like that… but after a while, what did it accomplish? A lot of anger and hatred that went nowhere.

Now, she just wanted to do whatever she could to make sure people were safe. Sephiroth was a long forgotten dream of when she was younger and vengeful and now she just wanted some semblance of normalcy, even if she knew that would never happen.

"Alright… alright, no running off," Cloud agreed. "Thanks for helping me, Tifa."

"You're welcome, I couldn't just leave you alone, you'd probably end up dead in a gutter somewhere," Tifa sighed. "Honestly, what were you thinking just coming here?"

"That I'd ask for directions, but I wasn't expecting to get jumped on the train," Cloud shrugged. "How do people live here?"

"Because everywhere else isn't worth living," Tifa replied with a sad smile, hands behind her back. "Midgar… changed a lot of things, Cloud… everything is out of balance, you probably noticed, right?"

Cloud would have been blind not to notice: So many towns on the way here were little more than graveyards, it was only through Shinra that life slowly came back to the towns with the promise of safety from yokai. They seemed to benefit from slowly bringing life back to the towns that were once ravaged by violence that they caused, but Cloud wasn't particularly sure why.

Loyalty? Or maybe someone in Shinra actually cared about something other than greed.

"All the more reason to kill Sephiroth, that will make the world a better place." Cloud said, sweeping his eyes along the piles of junk. Scavengers could be seen off in the distance, the day was safer in the sense that it was easier to spot angry yokai. He doubted any good yokai would be populating this place, but… he also didn't expect a benevolent spirit to be in a travel shrine either.

Cloud wasn't sure what he had expected as they made their way towards Sector 5, nothing here felt 'better', just more populated. But his idea of danger differed from everyone else: He doubted people got attacked as much as he did. It was second nature to him, and Cloud was impressed to see Tifa keeping up. Her form was… incredible, he knew little about martial arts, let alone Zangan-ryu, but she was vicious. Her strikes were quick and powerful, she flowed like water when she moved.

"Guess some things definitely haven't changed, huh?" Cloud remarked in slight amusement. That had been another attack on the way that was dealt with swiftly. He had to admit that it was nice to have someone watch his back, he was so used to fighting alone that he was almost wasting energy with Tifa around.

"I just kick a lot harder," Tifa grinned in return. He wasn't a slouch himself, but where did he learn that if he could barely remember the past five years…? He was definitely taught, but a lot of his movements were so instinctual, it's like he had always been fighting and she knew that wasn't true. Still, a lot could change in five years… but that just raised more questions considering he said he barely remembered them.

Maybe it was best to leave it alone for now, Tifa was still navigating how she felt about a lot of things with him back. He seemed so different, and yet so similar…that same stubborn determination had never left his gaze. But it was like there was a wall between them.

"That much I noticed," Cloud said with a soft smile of his own, however light it was. At least it was genuine.

\--  
The temple in Sector 5 was a remnant of a time when Midgar wasn't Midgar, but a collection of villages that roughly covered the same landscape, which was truly a testament to the massive size of the city. It had seen its share of wear and tear, but Cloud felt this strange sense of ease when they made their way towards the worn steps. It was a vast temple that looked like it spanned a few rooms at least, and a red roof that stood defiant against the muck and the junk that surrounded it.

Cloud almost felt like it had come out of a storybook as sunlight seemed to cascade around it from a direction Cloud wasn't sure of. He knew Midgar wasn't inclosed or anything, but just watching the temple made him feel like he shouldn't be there. The steps were well cared for, the sweep marks seemed regular as Tifa moved up and Cloud followed warily after. There was a lump in his throat that he couldn't swallow.  
  
"Oh, Tifa!" Aerith said, her airy voice penetrating through his uncertain mind as the temple priestess arrived. Those bright green eyes were luminous as they stared at Cloud, giving Tifa a friendly smile and a hug.   
  
"Priestess, please-" Tifa said, returning the hug all the same as Aerith stuck her tongue out.   
  
"Aerith," she corrected. "I'm about as professional as a clown, Tifa, my job isn't to be stuffy, it's to help people...and woo boy, do I need to help this one!" Aerith said, hands on her hips with a wide smile as Cloud walked forward, bowing politely.  
  
"Thank you for seeing me, Priestess." Cloud said. "I have a problem-"  
  
"You sure do," Aerith said, leaning in to regard him. Cloud leaned back on reflex. Hm. That was...a very big problem, actually. Zack wasn't wrong in asking for her help: He had corruption down to his very soul, like a sickness. "I'm going to need your help, Tifa?"  
  
"Mine?" Tifa blinked. "But I'm not-"  
  
"Don't worry about it," she smiled. "You have enough goodness in your heart to fill more than a few temples! And you," she said, turning to Cloud. "Get undressed."  
  
"Uh..." Cloud mumbled. "I don't really know how-"  
  
"Harai." Aerith said, tapping her cheek in thought. "You must be cleansed before you enter the temple proper, and I'm going to need to do a lot of adjustments to make sure you're clean...don't worry, we won't peek."  
  
"Priestess!" Tifa hissed, her face blossoming red. "Really, I was expecting you to have some decorum about this!"  
  
"I do," Aerith giggled, turning to face her. "It's not our fault he's handsome, is it? Come on, I need your help to get the water and the salt, follow me, Cloud?"  
  
"...Sure," Cloud frowned. They weren't going to the main area, they were going to one room on the side, connected to the walkway. It was separated from the other parts of the temple and adorned with talismans that radiated enough spiritual energy to make Cloud nauseous. He slipped off his shoes and stepped inside to what appeared to be a bath-house. The framework was a collection of torii that put a very serene air over the bathhouse.   
  
He felt his shoulders sink just a little as a soft exhale escaped. He felt like he could just fall asleep.  
  
"Strip," Aerith said with a smile. "We'll be right back, okay?" She said, leading a very nervous Tifa out of the bathhouse as Cloud hesitated a moment, before he shed his haori and kimono, carefully folding each and every piece before he went to the process of his hakama and made sure it was properly folded and settled over his other clothes. Then came his katana, and his odachi he settled against the bathtub as he knelt down to wait.   
  
...And mostly to hide his nudity from the two women. It was so serene here, that it made him close his eyes and exhale to remember his meditation.  
  
 _You know whenever I get worried. I just remember that I can close my eyes and breathe. I think about a lot of things, mostly about girls...and sometimes about flowers, or smells...you tend to appreciate nice smelling things when all you smell is death, you know?_  
  
Cloud's eyes slowly opened, staring up at the ceiling with a low breath as he swallowed. The silence, serene as it was...was as damning as everything else. His head was starting to feel full. The air felt cold, he swallowed again, hands running along his thighs as he felt his breath stick against his chest.  
  
He shouldn't be here, he was not worth this. He was just causing problems and bringing danger to Tifa and this temple, that was going out of its way to help him. He wasn't worth helping; he was going to stay here forever in this black pit of misery because that's all he was good for. He shouldn't be alive, he should have just stayed in Nibelhiem and burnt to a crisp like this mother, and then nobody would have to be sad about him existing like this. He could see it in Tifa's face every time he talked, the pity and the sympathy that she didn't want to show.  
  
Did she show it? Wait. When did she show anything? She... she was nice to him, she talked to him and smiled at him and-  
  
The door snapped open, and Cloud jumped as he rose to his feet on reflex. Aerith and Tifa arrived with a large bucket of water and a much smaller bucket of salt. They stared at him.  
  
Tifa's expression darkened in concern as Aerith's settled into a calm smile.  
  
"It's okay," Aerith soothed. "Everything is okay, you're in a safe place...nothing can hurt you here." He was so panicked, his aura was like a storm against the shore. Whatever pockets of calm he had were being washed away by the tide of his own fear. Sephiroth had sunk himself deep inside this poor man.  
  
"Nothing will hurt you," Tifa insisted, just as soft as Aerith. "I'll protect you from anything that comes here, Cloud, I promise."  
  
"...I..." Cloud said, hand on his head with a huff. "It hurts..."  
  
"I know," Aerith said, motioning for Tifa to pour the water. It wasn't enough to fill the tub, but was enough for the ritual. "You have a great evil within you, Cloud...something that seeks to consume you, I want you to think about what brings you joy."  
  
"...Joy?" Cloud blinked faintly.  
  
"Yes, joy," Aerith smiled. "Everyone has the capacity for joy! It is what gives life meaning, happiness...you need to remember what makes you happy." she said, motioning for him to get into the tub. "Kneel in the water, please?"  
  
Cloud hesitated a bit, casting a glance to Tifa, who smiled at him in return. He sighed, and stepped into the oak bath, kneeling down into the warm water with a light hiss.   
  
"Okay, now close your eyes," Aerith instructed as she grabbed her pail of salt and motioned for Tifa to gather more water. "Think about you, your life...think about what you've done to get here, what has made you happy?"  
  
Cloud's expression settled into a frown. What...made him happy...   
  
"Killing yokai," he said. The tone that he said it made Aerith's skin crawl. The smooth, casual sense of satisfaction. But that was something, she could work with that.   
  
"What do you mean?" Aerith asked innocently, tossing salt across the water and his skin. It hissed, like she expected. It didn't look painful for him, but it looked unpleasant.   
  
"I..." Cloud mumbled, fingers squeezing at his knees. "I...like helping people."  
  
"That's good," Aerith said gently. "That's very good, Cloud...helping people is good for the spirit."  
  
"I have a lot to atone for." He swallowed.  
  
"Do you?"  
  
"People have...died because of me, people important." Cloud mumbled.  
  
"Have they?" Aerith prodded gently, softly. Every so often, she'd continue to toss the salt across the water, around the rim of the bath. There was a vile evil here, one that Sephiroth had twisted and morphed into something of hatred and malice. It grabbed at every inch of him, threatening to take over. Every word, every thought was making Cloud tighten and exhale.  
  
"Yes..." He said, his voice shifting and cracking. "My...My mother, my home..Tifa...Zack."  
  
"I see..." Aerith whispered. The water was already protesting against the salt as Tifa returned, pouring in more water. It was probably best she wasn't focusing on what was happening, and the purified water helped clear away the corruption already forming as steam rose, acrid steam that smelled of death and blood.  
  
"..Priestess?" Tifa said in concern. That...wasn't normal, Cloud was sweating so much and he looked like he was hyperventaliting and the smell was getting nauseating.   
  
"It's okay," Aerith assured. "Cloud, are you still with us?"  
  
"I'm...I'm here," Cloud panted. The water felt hot, and cold at the same time. He wanted to get up and leave, but something kept him there. The water felt like it was boiling, his body twitched. It-  
  
 _Whenever I get nervous, I do squats! I can do a hundred no problem! Start with ten and work your way up! Always gets rid of the extra energy and makes my legs feel great!  
_  
Zack.  
  
 _I really wish you'd be more careful. Cloud...I know Tifa is nice to you, but those boys aren't, I don't like seeing you come home all bruised.  
_  
Mom...  
  
 _One day, I'm going to be a Samurai for Shinra, and I'll be so strong that nobody will ever want to hurt me.  
_  
Cloud...?  
  
 _And you'll come save me when I'm in danger, right?  
_  
T...Tifa...?  
  
 _Fire. Sephiroth. Zack. Tifa. Mom. Cloud. Fire. Tifa. Sephiroth. Mom. Cloud...Nibelheim. Yokai. Gunfire. Fire. A man with dark hair, holding an odachi. His swordwork was etched into his very soul, the blood...the crying, the weight of the sword feeling strangely familiar. The satisfying weight shifting through bone and skin. The rush.  
_  
Then darkness.   
  
The hungry roar of violence echoed out, boiling away at the water. The acrid steam turned into smoke as Tifa moved forward, but Aerith stopped her, her expression determined. The smoke twisted and danced, the ofuda rippled and crackled as the black water; the foul smelling smoke twisted into a six foot tall Ara-Mitama: The soul of violence and anger that everyone possessed.  
  
Its face was bestial, it's hair long and spiked like a porcupine hide. It was muscular and glowing red, flames rippling off its body as it let out a furious, vengeful roar.   
  
Aerith's hands clasped together, her eyes glowing with spiritual energy:  
  
 _Rin, Pyo, To, Sha, Kai, Jin, Retsu, Zai, Zen._  
  
A magical, swirling seal appeared before her as it launched forward like a spear, it slammed into the Ara-Mitama with a furious howl, expelling it from the temple as Tifa moved forward. Her heart was racing, and so was her head.   
  
"Deal with the Ara-Mitama, I'll handle Cloud!" Aerith promised, dipping into the bath. "I just need you to buy some time, that's all!" she smiled. Tifa had so many questions she knew she didn't have time to ask, so she just nodded tightly and swiftly moved out of the temple where the hulking Ara-Mitama was shivering and hissing in pain.  
  
It looked like Cloud, that thought burned into her head as she settled into her stance, fists tightening with a slow, even breath. It rose to its full height, its red eyes settled on Tifa. It's hand outsreched and focused, flames rippled together to form a giant slab of a blade as tall as he was.   
  
"Cloud..." Tifa murmured. "I don't want to do this, please-"  
  
The only response it got was the furious roar and a charge that she almost didn't dodge in time as that massive blade came crashing down on the ground in a burst of flame and fury. She slid back, fists up as she swallowed. The heat was unreal, the surrounding smoke was almost suffocating and brought back uncomfortable memories. But she had to do this for Cloud. She had to trust in Aerith. Even if she didn't want to fight any kind of version of Cloud...  
  
She didn't have a choice, did she?  
  
  
  
  



	4. Who...are you?

For what felt like an eternity, Cloud had felt peace. The serenity was addicting, like the moment he had chased for was right in front of him he had finally found.

But,

It was formless. It had nothing; it was simply the _feeling_ with no reason. It existed like air existed; it felt like a passing happy memory that left a lingering joy that eventually faded over time and then he felt an emptiness he had never felt before.

He was alone.

_Cloud, I don't want to do this, please-_

Tifa…?

Tifa. With her infectious smile, her blue dress that always seemed to draw the dumb boys in-… No, that was Tifa from Nibelhiem, this… this was Tifa from Midgar. With a determined expression on her face, with a stance that was unmovable like stone, with a body that could crush Yokai with her bare hands.

What was happening? Why wasn't he moving!?

_Wake up, everything is going to be fine. But you need to wake up._

Who…?

_Come on, you're not going to let her do all the work, are you?_

Cloud's eyes snapped open, and Aerith was smiling down at him. The temple shook viciously; the roars were thunderous. They made his skin crawl on a level he didn't understand, they sounded like _him._ His body felt like it had run a marathon twice and took a swim afterwards. Everything hurt and was sore.

"T… Tifa?"

"She's fighting it," Aerith murmured, her fingers sparkling with so much purity that he felt a wave of comfort roll along his body, his soreness slowly sank away even as his body protested his rise.

"I need to help her, then." Cloud said, already moving to get dressed.

"That's the plan," Aerith said, rising with him. "Do you even know what you're about to face, Cloud?"

"It doesn't matter," Cloud insisted. "Tifa's in trouble." Well, Zack, you really did pick the perfect person, didn't you?

"I'll be there in a moment," Aerith said. "Go, you can do this!" She smiled. My, there was more to him than just a handsome face, wasn't there?

Cloud's body protested every movement, but every noise, every roar…it burned deep into his chest as he grabbed his katana to shove into his obi and shouldered his Odachi, sliding the door open to bolt out into the fight outside the temple.

He didn't know what he was expecting to see, but…he did not expect to see his own face, layered in fury with a molten slab of steel. Tifa weaved underneath a wide swing and rushed forward, her foot planting on the stomach of the…creature? Before she flipped, connecting her feet against his jaw as it jerked him back with a stuttering roar.

"Tifa!" Cloud said, breaking off into a sprint. His body protested with every movement. But…he? It, recovered so quickly that the downward swing as she landed would have connected even as Tifa was tucking her body in to move away.

Would have.

_It's not just enough to SAY you're a hero, you have to BE one._

_…How do you do that?_

_Umm… well, it's kinda hard to explain. You know that feeling you get when you think you're about to die?_

_… Kind of…?_

_Yeah, just channel that feeling into running toward the problem, not away from it._

_That's your advice?_

_Yup!_

Cloud's feet felt weightless as he surged forward, his sheathed odachi connecting with the hissing slab of metal. He sunk his heels in as the snarling mockery of his own face stared at him. He twisted his hips, jerking the massive blade to the right as Tifa took the advantage and jumped in a graceful spin as the glimmer of spiritual energy gave way to a roundhouse kick of water that collided across the creature's face in a hiss of blood and steam.

Cloud really had to wonder when she got that talented.

He went with the momentum, yanking the sheath of his odachi off and swinging upward, cutting through the burning flesh of the beast as it staggered back, shaking his head.

"What the hell is this thing?" Cloud muttered, settling into his stance.

"Your Ara-Mitama," Tifa frowned. "The wild, angry part of every person's soul, it's… wrong." she said, standing next to him. "It came out of you."

"… Gross," Cloud muttered, eyes narrowing. The… angry part of his soul? "How do I kill it?"

"You don't kill your soul," Aerith sighed as she stepped down quickly, he had thought priestesses commonly carried bows and arrows, but she was making her way down with a naginata. "We have to purify it and pacify it."

"How do we do tha-" Apparently, now wasn't the time for talking. The Ara-Mitama roared and rushed forward, aiming right for Cloud. Cloud jerked to the right as the blade came down and Aerith began chanting.

He sliced at his side, but the wound closed before his blade even left the body. What…?

"You have to be at peace, Cloud!" Aerith said. "We won't be able to do anything! It's connected to you! You harbor evil in your body, find it!" That being said, they needed to try her best to keep it contained…

"I have no idea what you're talking about, Sephiroth is the evil, not me!" Cloud grunted as Ara-Mitama turned and swung at him again, he barely had enough space to block as he skidded back on his heels, sparks flying everywhere as the creature continued to batter Cloud with a barrage of blows.

Tifa didn't know when to jump in, but she was desperately trying to find an opening, anything as Aerith stepped forward.

"That evil started from _something_!" Aerith reminded. "You were exposed to something foul, and he just made it worse! You have to remember!"

He knew what Sephiroth did, that was easy-

… Wasn't it?

Cloud paused, his mind a whirl as he struggled to remember everything that brought him here-

_We're gonna be heroes, Cloud. You and me, just like I always talked about! Midgar needs heroes!_

Zack, that grin that made him feel relaxed, those ten squats he did to calm his nerves as they made their way to Nibelhiem. Wait, no. He went to Nibelhiem, he was a samurai for Shinra. They made him a SOLDIER, they blessed him with the blood of the lifestream to fight for glory and honor.

He remembered the day that he held his first katana-

In the corrupted grounds of the Nibelhiem mountains-

No, when he was training to be a SOLDIER-

When Sephiroth cut Zack down-

He met Zack in the mansion-what mansion?-when they were escaping-from what?-then there was death-gunfire-death-dead-dead-death-die-Zack.

No, that wasn't… he was a ronin, he was a samurai that joined Shinra. He was in the Wutai War-with a gun in hand-he fought the Wutaians-he served on a base.

No, no.

None of that was true. It couldn't be, how else could he wield a blade like he did? How else could he know everything that he did?

Tifa watched in minor surprise as Cloud stood, weapon lowered as the Ara-Mitama snarled and thrashed, but never moved. It stared at Cloud in fury as he stepped forward, every footstep felt like a minor earthquake.

"I will… be a Samurai…" The Ara-Mitama drawled, its distorted voice gargling and furious.

He was. He had done those things; he had earned his place. He had carried his sword; he had met Zack-…

… When did he meet Zack?

He was starting to see it, Aerith knew. His normally stoic face had settled into a slow realization toward panic as Tifa watched on the balls of her feet, fingers tightening.

"Priestess-" Tifa said impatiently. He was going to die! That… that thing was coming right at him!

"Wait," Aerith murmured. "We don't want him hurt, we just want the door to open," she smiled. "Just a little longer."

"But…" Tifa protested. Aerith shook her head.

"There is… a lot of things going on in his spirit right now," Aerith frowned. "And I'm sorry to say that most of it is not Sephiroth, but Sephiroth made it worse… we can only do so much," she smiled. "This burden he carries is his."

Cloud sunk to his knees, his odachi clattering to the ground as he panted heavily. His ara-mitama froze, his body twitching. Cloud's eyes were wide, sweat dripping down his face as he squeezed his head, desperate to stop the rushing tide of pain.

_You…take this, be the hero. Heroes always win, right…?_ Blood, he was bleeding, he had that same look on his face like he always did: Like everything was going to be fine, but it wasn't fine.

When was that?

_I hate Shinra, I hate Sephiroth! I hate it all!_ Tifa's furious red eyes, streaked with tears as she clutched a sword far too long.

Nibelheim. That was in Nibelheim, he remembered how much he was shaking-

_You're from here, Cloud? Must be exciting to be back home, huh?_

_… Something like that._

Where… where was he? Why didn't he remember? Why wasn't it coming together like he thought? He was in Shinra! Cloud's head jerked up to the Ara-Mitama, who was staring at him wide eyed. His face was mirroring his own panic-stricken expression.

He was angry, but what was he angry _about?_  
_  
"Cloud," Aerith's voice shot through his thoughts like an arrow. "What do you see?"

"… I…" Cloud said. Every word was mouthed by the Ara-Mitama. "I… I don't know… but… but it's not me, that's… that's not me, is it…?"

"It is," Aerith whispered. "This is what his words have done to you, do you even know what you're angry about?"

"Nibelheim," Cloud insisted, and the Ara-Mitama nodded vigorously in agreement. "Sephrioth, he… he was responsible, I was there-"

"How were you there, Cloud?" Tifa asked, firmly, but gently. Cloud turned to face Tifa, and the steam from the Ara-Mitama filled the air as it steadily, slowly shrank.

He… didn't know the answer to that question. His face was as blank as his mind. It all made sense on the way here, but… when did he join SOLDIER? That's why he left Nibelheim, but-

"I… I was… with Sephiroth…" he said, shoulders tightening. He was, he _knew_ that. He remembered the trip, he remembered doing squats. He remembered…

He remembered shame.

Tifa didn't have the heart to tell him as Aerith carefully motioned for her to move forward with her as Tifa watched the Ara-Mitama sink to Cloud's size and start to shrivel. Aerith started a small chant as Tifa knelt down, arm around Cloud.

"Cloud," Tifa said. "It's okay… okay?" She knew, deep down why he was so lost… but she couldn't. Seeing his panic-stricken face, the way he was struggling to breathe as he stared, wide eyed at the ground. She couldn't tell him.

"But…" he said, staring at Tifa's face, creased with worry. He didn't know what to do, but… maybe it wasn't worth worrying about right now. He… didn't know, but he rose to his feet carefully.

Aerith had finished her chanting as the angry-looking thing sunk down in misery, shivering as she dispelled it with a burst of bright, shining spiritual power that resulted in an angry, burning orb that Aerith gently guided toward Cloud.

"This will help," Aerith smiled warmly. "But this will also hurt… are you ready?" Cloud nodded faintly, blinking a little as Aerith gently inched the orb forward as the orb sunk into Cloud's chest. He felt heat burn along his skin as he sucked in a breath. It was hot, and he felt the revolting feeling of nausea as he grit his teeth.

The memories came back in directions he didn't remember; it made his head throb so painfully that he hissed in fury as Tifa held onto him.

"It's okay, I'm here, it's okay," Tifa repeated gently. "Everything is going to be okay, Cloud."

"It hurts…" Cloud gasped. Nibelheim, he was there… he knew he was, he knew he… Zack was there, he was there, so was Sephiroth. They were SOLDIERs and-

"I know," Tifa said. "It's okay, Cloud… what matters is that you're better, right?"

Was he? It was hard to tell, his head was swimming, and he didn't really think he felt much better than when he started. He felt worse.

"… Right," Cloud mumbled, rising shakily to his feet. "I think, anyway."

"Well, it's going to take some time," Aerith smiled. "After all, a very black darkness tainted your soul, we're going to need more purification… and don't worry, none of it will be as bad as all that!" she assured.

It wasn't perfect, but the heavy air of dread was gone and replaced with a much more human air of dread, which… was better, but still not great. He had a lot of proverbial demons to work through, but hopefully that was a good first step.

"I think now he should get a little rest," Tifa insisted, helping Cloud stay steady. His head was swimming, and his mind felt so blank and… tranquil, in a way he wasn't sure he liked. He felt a clarity that unnerved him, his mind was used to being a swirl of thoughts and now the fog was clear and replaced with a cold logic that made him feel uncomfortable in his own skin.

Cloud gripped Tifa's side, feeling the rush of adrenaline as his heartbeat pounded against his chest and an icy chill that made him feel warm. Nibelheim, his mother, Tifa… he knew those things happened, he knew Zack happened; he knew Sephiroth happened. But it wasn't connecting together, the more he tried, the more he felt the panic trail up his throat.

"Cloud," Tifa said firmly. "Cloud, listen to me, look at me," Tifa said as his face jerked toward her. Tifa. Yes, Tifa was there… with her trademark friendly smile that was pained by the indifference of Shinra. That rancher outfit that she had taken to wearing because she was helping with the local Chocobo breeders, the fury on her face, the-

"Where are we?" Tifa said, hand on his cheek. His eyes seemed to refocus, settling on her face.

"Midgar."

"Right. Do you remember why you came here?" Tifa asked, gentle. Cloud's shoulders relaxed after a moment, exhaling slightly. Tifa…Tifa was familiar, a constant in his memory, even through the fragments.

"… To be cured." Cloud said after a moment, right. He… came here because he was cursed, he knew that. He _knew_ that was true. He had fought his way to Midgar, he had earned the sword in his hand. He knew how to fight, how did he not remember how he knew how to fight?

"Right." Cloud said after a long moment, taking a breath. "I'm… I'm okay."

"Okay," Tifa said, smiling. "You did good, do you feel better?"

"… Yeah, I… I think so," He murmured. "Maybe I do need some rest." His body felt like it had went through a marathon. His body was so heavy that holding himself up was a struggle, if Tifa wasn't there he felt like he'd fall over.

"We have more to do, anyway, and it will help," Aerith promised with a grin. "You did amazing, though! I've not seen many people on their feet still standing after that! Most of them die!"

Cloud's gaze slid over to Aerith, followed by Tifa's withering stare as her cheerful grin danced into a more nervous one. "Uh… I mean, well," she said, hands up with a chuckle. "It's just impressive, that's all!

"… Right," Tifa sighed. "Priestess, is there somewhere that Cloud can rest?"

"Yup! Right this way, leave it to me." Aerith said, turning swiftly to head up the stairs. "The Sector Five Shrine is here to purify all your sins and all your spiritual woes!"

"… Are you sure about her?" Cloud said warily as Tifa helped him up the stairs, she offered him a wry grin.

"Well, she fixed you, didn't she?" Tifa reminded with a light bump of her hip. "And you feel better, right?"

"… Yeah, I guess," Cloud sighed. "I feel exhausted, and I don't…"

"Don't worry about it," Tifa said, stopping him before it started again. "What's important right now is that you're better than you were before, right?" 

"… Right," Cloud murmured. "Thanks." He should have known that Tifa would have it all together, and he could barely scape out what he did the past… however long. How long had it been? He didn't even know that, either.

"Sure," Tifa smiled. "So, trust me you can trust her, at least?"

"That is the safest way to say it, yes," Cloud said after a light grimace. Leading him into the temple was less of a casual walk and more of a lot of ceremony. He wasn't sure why there was so much salt involved, and why there was so much prayer, but he wasn't really familiar with anything that Priestesses did either.

The most normal thing was when they settled down at a cozy-looking table and she poured a normal, plain looking tea that had a slightly pink hue. Cloud was exhausted from all the chanting, all the… everything. He almost collapsed as opposed to sitting.

"We need to remove the spiritual toxins from your body, and start you on a fresh path to a balanced soul," Aerith said, inching the cup forward. "Drink this, three times a day, with every meal."

"… What is it?" Cloud said, taking the cup as Tifa rolled her eyes. Did she not say to trust her?

"It's a tea derived from the flowers here," Aerith smiled. "The flowers here grow so beautifully, don't you think? They have a spiritual presence here, this is brewed using holy water and some of these flowers, it tastes great!" She promised. "I sell the flowers all the time, people love it!"

Well, it didn't smell terrible… with little choice; he tipped the cup up to his lips and took a gentle sip. His normally stoic expression shifted into the most neutral gaze Tifa had ever seen as Aerith looked at him expectantly, eyes glittering.

"Well?" she urged. "Isn't it great? Isn't it flavorful and flowery?"

Cloud swallowed, nodding gently. "It's… definitely flavorful," he murmured. "And this is helping me with… whatever is going on?"

"Absolutely," Aerith promised. "With my spiritual training, this tea and being in such a purified place, you'll feel more balanced in no time! Come on, drink it up!"   
  
Cloud glanced to Tifa, who smiled somewhat in apology as he sighed. "Alright, if...this will help, but I really need to earn my keep."  
  
"Don't worry about that," Aerith promised, a mischievous glint in her eye. "I know what a strapping samurai like you can do to help me, but first is your health, drink up!"   
  
"Right," Cloud murmured, taking another sip as he swallowed. It's not that he didn't believe Aerith or trust Tifa...  
  
...But the tea tasted like blood, and made his mouth numb the moment the flavor touched his tongue and was gone again, leaving only an iron-laced aftertaste.


	5. The Mercenary Life

Cloud did not know the deeper machinations of Shrine Priestesses, he knew what most did: That you prayed for good fortune and wrote your wishes and ills on papers to tie around ropes and hope that they came true or went away. He knew to wash before entering a temple; he knew… well, everything his mother knew.

He was not a spiritual man through realization, but mostly through habit and circumstance. He barely had the mind for himself, let alone one for thinking about the deeper matters of the soul. It was perhaps, no surprise to wonder why he was underneath the frigid cold of man-made waterfall within the many rooms of the temple. He had so many questions that his head hurt with the answers: Why was this even something that was in the temple?

"You're supposed to be meditating, finding your center!" Aerith reminded. Jeez, he looked like a cat who hated taking a bath. His expression was deadpan as he simply sat under the water, legs folded. How was anyone supposed to meditate with this…?

"Sorry, just… adjusting," Cloud mumbled. Normally, he'd get up and do something more worth his time, but Tifa-well, that look she gave him on the way out was as much of a 'behave' than anything he had ever seen, and he didn't want to argue with a woman who was brazen enough to kick a yokai in the face.

"Fine, fine," Aerith smiled, clapping her hands. "Okay, deep breath," she instructed, and Cloud followed suit. The water made it…difficult, but he assumed that was the point as the chill hit his back and filled his lungs. It was almost _too_ deep of a breath.

"Exhale."

The water felt a little less obnoxious, actually.

"Inhale."

It was a balm to his aching muscles, the stress of yesterday and the weariness on his soul was starting to stabilize. He wasn't used to feeling so… _quiet._ He didn't know how much he was thinking about until it simply no longer existed, and that unnerved him.

He was following her instructions without knowing it. Inhale, exhale. Inhale, exhale. Soon, the only thing he heard was the rush of the water along his back. The serenity was uncomfortable. Tifa.

Tifa. She had really grown up, gotten stronger…she seemed to have everything put together in ways that he never could. He thought it all made sense to him, how he came here, why he was the way he was. Now, he didn't know. He didn't know who could tell him, either. Slowly, his eyes opened to Aerith knelt in front of him, her eyes closed.

"There is a storm inside you, Cloud," Aerith said, one eye opening with a smile. "Your Mom named you really well, you know that? I bet you were always kind of broody and quiet."

Cloud frowned at her, and she giggled. "I'm kidding, I'm kidding!" Looks like she hit the mark a little closer than he liked, didn't she?

"…What is it you see?" Cloud finally asked, as he shifted out of the water with a long sigh. He was lean and dangerous, his muscular body glistened with definition and scars. He certainly had the physique of a warrior worth a thousand. Perhaps it was for the best that Tifa wasn't around, she was likely going to be upset at her for not being very Priestess-like.

"Mm? Well," Aertih said as he toweled off. "I see a man walking a path that he never knew the directions for." She said as Cloud stared at her, blinking.

"…What?" Cloud muttered. "Are you kidding?"

"Nope," Aerith smiled. "Dead serious, you are walking a path that isn't yours, but you're walking it well! I bet you'll be able to find yours again if you keep moving forward."

Cloud sighed at that, drying of his hair. "Whatever, you said you had work for me, right?"

"I do, yes," Aerith said, rising to her feet as she dusted off her hakama. "Are you sure you're up to handle any work, Mister Ronin?"

"I'll be fine, it's better than sitting under the water waiting for my brain to freeze," Cloud groused, shifting his robes back on. Aerith tilted his head at him, but it was clear he wasn't going to answer. He didn't need to when his face looked like that. The face of a man who had no idea what to think when he had nothing to think about.

"Cloud," Aerith smiled. "How do you know Tifa?"

"Huh?" Cloud said, his expression snapping to her. "Well, we were childhood friends in Nibelheim," he said. "How do you know her?"

"She's a huge help!" Aerith admitted. "Someone with her talents usually goes to Shinra, but she's never once had an interest in it, the militas have been really learning from her, I can't say I know too much about how she knows those things though, but she's been great ever since she set up her bar."

"Huh," Well, that wasn't too surprising… Tifa was always the person to help when she could. "I guess she's helping now?"

"Probably," Aerith said. "More importantly, Mister Ronin…I have a lot of work for someone of your skills."

"You do?" Cloud said, brows raised. "I can't be the only ronin in town…"

"You're not," Aerith said, arms crossing. "But, you are the cutest one… and that means I get a discount for knowing that, right?"

"No," Cloud said flatly. How was this woman a priestess? "Cost depends on the job, and I don't need prayers to pay me, I need gil."

"You're a tough customer, you know that?" Aerith pouted. "I have gil! There are plenty of donations to the temple, and you helping me… there will be more, right?"

"… Right," Cloud sighed. He was starting to feel conned. "So why aren't the others helping you, then?"

"Well," Aerith said, hands behind her back. "It's not that they don't… it's just not everyone can help me like you can," she smiled. "You're special."

"Does that mean I get paid more?" Cloud remarked dryly.

"No," Aerith said, as flat as Cloud said it. "But that doesn't change the fact you're special, that is payment enough!" She decided, nodding.

"I'll be sure to let the grocer know that I get a discount because I'm special," he groused. Tifa had to be joking about her, it was obvious she knew what she was doing as a Priestess, but she seemed shadier than a cave.

"That's the spirit," Aerith beamed. "Now, are you interested in the job or not?"

"I am," Cloud sighed. "For better or worse, I suppose… what is it?"

"Some children have been missing for the past couple of days," Aerith frowned. "Leaf House is the local orphanage, they're getting worried…"

"Finding children isn't really my speciality," Cloud shrugged. "Isn't that something for the neighborhood watch?"

"If they had found them, I wouldn't hire you to do it," Aerith remarked, frowning. "Money is money, right? Besides, I'd…rather know that their souls will find peace, at the very least."

"… Alright, alright, do you know where to look, at least?" Cloud said, rubbing his head. This wasn't exactly what he was expecting when he was thinking of mercenary work…

"Not offhand, but Miss Folia will! She's one of their teachers," Aerith smiled. "This'll be a great way to start your career! Word of mouth is everything in Midgar… and, I am the Priestess, if I put in a good word, everyone will consider you!" she reminded. "See? I'm helping you too."

"I guess so," Cloud remarked dryly. "And how much am I getting paid?"

"We'll work that out once you're finished!" Aerith assured, hands up to pacify him. "Besides, isn't goodwill a nice bonus?"

"Doesn't put food in my stomach," Cloud reminded. "Guess the temple donations aren't as generous as they sound, huh?"

"You should be nicer to the person who purified you, you know," Aerith pouted. "You would have been carrying that until it killed you, that's what happens, you know? You let it overtake you, and then that's it… it's that much harder to come back."

Cloud didn't know that, but then again he was struggling to understand anything that had happened in the past few days. So maybe he shouldn't be surprised at this point.

"Alright, alright… I'll consider the 'goodwill' the bonus," Cloud grumbled. "Let's go see this woman and find out what we can, alright?"

"Yes! You won't regret it!" Aerith promised. "Let me get my things and we can go! I'm also going to need a bodyguard!"

"A bodyguard?" Cloud said, brows raised. Well, he supposed that made sense… but where the hell was she paying for all this, when it felt like she could barely afford the first job he offered. "I guess being the only Priestess in Midgar comes with some risks."

"That's right," Aerith agreed. "Here, I'm safe… but I don't have the shrine to protect me when I'm gone, so I need a little help, don't worry though… I'm not a bad hand at fighting!"

"Have you ever fought?" Cloud asked, head tilted.

"Well, I broke up a barfight once, and they even threw a punch at me!" Aerith said. "I shoved him into the wall, showed him."

"… Right." Cloud said blankly. There was not enough gil in the world to afford this kind of headache.

"I don't like hurting people, okay?" Aerith sighed. "It doesn't seem very… priestess-like of me, yokai is a different story, I promise!" she assured, and somehow that determined expression, glittering with hope that Cloud could never have made him feel somewhat at ease.

"Alright," Cloud sighed. "But if I'm your bodyguard, you listen to what I say, got it?"

"Yes, sir!" Aerith promised, hands behind her back. "I will be the best Shrine Priestess you have ever protected!"

"You're the only one I've ever protected," Cloud said as Aerith scooted off to fetch her… things. Whatever those things could be.

"Then I guess I just set high standards," Aerith winked as she dipped deeper into the temple. Cloud waited for her, arms crossing. He was going to trust Tifa, but he was _really_ curious how she trusted him.

\--

The major settlement of Sector 5 was a little more spread out than Sector 7, Cloud noticed. But he hadn't really paid much attention to anything else in his time there. He had mostly been exhausted from his trip and the fight before. Leaf House was a pleasant enough building, and Cloud had noticed that it had flowers dotting almost every corner it could. He didn’t recall seeing much of that anywhere else, it almost made the place feel like it belonged. Almost. 

Ms. Folia had been stressed ever since the children had gone missing, a couple of them came back terrified and shouting about monsters, but the neighborhood watch couldn't find anything. Aerith however, seemed very determined to find whatever had become of them. Cloud slid his arms through his kimono sleeves as he scanned the area.

It was incredible that people lived here, and he wasn't sure when he'd get over that. If it wasn't for the plates above that were hissing out their spiritual energy and light, Cloud would have almost believed this was a normal place, but instead it was people surviving off the muck and grime of the higher powers that be. Either nobody cared, or nobody knew… if Aerith was here, surely they knew.

But that was a problem for another time, he supposed.

"I can't ask you to look for them," Ms Folia said, even if her expression said otherwise. She was a young woman who looked far too tired for her age, her kimono was simple and practical, an apron that had been washed and worn with love and care and had Stamp, the mascot of Shinra adorned on the corners. "Priestess, please-"

"Oh no, that's okay," Aerith promised with a smile, motioning to Cloud. "That's why I have a bodyguard! We can get to the bottom of this and find these children, I promise… I would hate to have their spirits tainted by their passing at the very least."

Ms. Folia adjusted her yellow rimmed glasses as she glanced at Cloud, who looked at her with a polite indifference. "If… you are certain-" She said warily.

"I am positive! This is going to be your number one guy for any problems!" Aerith said, tapping his chest with the back of her hand and a smug smile. "There is no problem Cloud can't solve!"

"… Right," Cloud mumbled. Well, if it was killing yokai, he could definitely do that… everything else, he supposed he'd just try his best. Ms. Folia knew very little about what it could have been: There were unfortunately more reasons that justified why they weren't showing up to why they were still around, despite the best efforts of a lot of Midgar's population, children were curious and wandered…and that usually meant yokai, or worse.

They had a few ideas on where they could be, so they had no choice but to set out and do just that. They were last seen around town, which was the more unnerving part.

"Hm…" Aerith said, tapping her chin as they walked, her naginata settled against her back. "The ofuda are still holding, the torii are still maintained…"

"Did you do all of this?" Cloud said, motioning towards the protective talismans. He had noticed that many of the paths they were traveling were adorned with old shrines and marked with talismans. It probably didn't keep everythinig away, but it made it safe enough to travel between settlements.

"Oh no, not me," Aerith promised. "I helped with it, but there's no way I could get all this going, I just help people who help themselves, that's all," she smiled. "People here are good in spirit, but they don't always notice how bad it really is…maybe it's for the best."

"I can agree to that," Cloud said. "So, these kids tended to run off…but the last time anyone had seen them was in town," he said as he took stock of his surroundings. He knew that feeling well, actually…Nibelheim was him finding spots away from everyone else and-

"Right," Aerith said. "It's possible they were taken at night, but yokai that could get past the barrier aren't going to be subtle about it, usually…and it'd set off a crazy reaction, it'd be impossible not to know."

"Hm," Cloud said, his eyes scanning along the collection of alleyways and buildings as they passed. "But they would know that nobody would let them leave, right?"

"Well, right… I mean," Aerith said, following his gaze curiously. Her heart sank when the realization connected. "You think they snuck out?"

"They probably did, and… well," Cloud mumbled. He was a lot of things, but he wasn't sure he was the kind of person to say a bunch of kids were dead. He settled his eyes on an alleyway that was ridden with scrap metal but had a small opening, it was honestly just a gut instinct but kids were good at hiding away… he knew that very well.

"I'm sure they're fine, come on." Cloud said as Aerith nodded and followed along to the alleyway, she glanced on either side with a light frown. Technically , the barrier surrounding the town should carry a decent amount around it, but if there was a corrupting presense, or if the barrier was that much weaker further out…

No, she didn't want to think about that, she'd trust Cloud that they were fine. He knelt down in front of the rubble, glancing on either side as he saw the other end. There was definitely an opening here.

"Big enough for a kid to slip through, right?" Cloud said, rising up. "Be a little tight for us, but…"

"It's worth a shot," Aerith agreed. She was terrified of knowing what could have happened to those kids as they made their slow, awkward sideways gait into the narrow passage.

"By the way," Cloud said. "I'm kind of surprised a priestess is here of all places, isn't it difficult?"

"Being a priestess is difficult anyway," Aerith smiled. "Why not struggle in the place that people need the most help? Most of the other priests died staying here, so I just had to be stronger."

"And are you?" Cloud remarked dryly "Or are you lucky?"

"Can't I be both?" she teased. "Or are you just a mercenary who doesn't deserve the money I'm paying you and gets by on a pretty face?" Cloud glanced at her with an arch of her brow, and her grin was as easy on her face as the dirt on his hands.

Touche, he supposed. Cloud dipped his head underneath the outcropping of scrap and glanced around with a light sigh. "Well, I guess I called it…" he said, arms crossing. This was like a little hideaway from the village, and he didn't see any talismans here either. You could feel the spiritual difference too: it was amazing that Shinra allowed these villages to exist, but he supposed it was a sign of 'goodwill.' But the air here felt more malicious and angry as they stepped further inside the little secret spot they had found, which wasn’t truly so little at second glance. 

"Oh no," Aerith frowned, immediately reaching for her naginata. "We have to hurry!"

"Huh?" Cloud said curiously as Aerith took off in a flurry of robes. Cloud had no choice but to follow behind, hand on his katana. What in the world had gotten into her? "What is it?"

"I sense something bad, really bad," Aerith said, fingers tight on the shaft of her weapon. This place was far more open at first glance: The path they were following opened up into a huge space that looked almost like a swamp, if swamps were made of rusted metal, mud and water that you'd probably get sick for touching, let alone drinking.

Aerith ran through without hesitation to the opening, Cloud's eyes spotting a couple of dead yokai, their massive skulls looked like they had been beaten in, their engorged bellies a stark contrast to their starving figures. They were no bigger than children, which posed a rather horrifying thought.

There were more of them, chittering in the distance. Their enormous mouths stained with dried blood. They were surrounding a shed made of scrap and wood, there had to be at least a dozen of them.

"We should-" Cloud started, but Aerith hadn't stopped moving. It was making a lot of sense why she needed a bodyguard now. She was a Priestess, at the bare minimum he would assume she knew how to defend herself.

But this wasn't self-defense as Cloud was a step behind her. Aerith's blade came down in a clean stroke at the nearest one, slicing the yokai's large skull in half, the rest of them who were still pounding and attempting to tear the ramshackle building down had turned, their bloody eyes on them.

"For protection, huh?" Cloud said, smoothly drawing his katana as Aerith smiled in thanks, an ofuda talisman snapping between her fingers.

"Yes," Aerith smiled. "Everyone needs help now and again, don't they?" she said, flinging the ofuda forward as it stuck to the building and pulsated, energy crackling along the frame as the yokai snarled and hissed, skittering off the building like cockroaches.

"That should buy them some time, hello! Is anyone there?" Aerith called as Cloud furrowed his brow. Was this really the time? They had a small army of very hungry yokai looking at them!

"P… Priestess?" The voice was weak, but relieved. "Is that you? Get us out of here! We're sorry, we won't run away again!" There were a few of them, given the eager responses to the first voice.

"Just stay put, Cloud and I will save you!" Aerith promised as Cloud stepped in with a light sigh. When he was expecting to earn money, saving kids from Yokai wasn't exactly the choice. But being a hero meant saving kids, right?

"What are these things?" Cloud muttered. He knew nothing about Yokai other than they needed to be killed.

"Gaki," Aerith frowned, fingers curling around her naginata. There really were a dozen of them…she felt much more grateful for Cloud as he stepped forward as the Gaki charged them, their lanky bodies erratic. Cloud's blade swung down, slicing a head in two as he weaved in into the melee.

Aerith was right behind him, her blade stabbing and slashing against his sides and flank. She stabbed one right in the engorged stomach and ripping it out to connect with another in an upward stroke.

A Gaki jumped at Cloud and he sidestepped, smoothly shifting his blade behind him in a reverse grip as he stabbed through its fat skull and ripped it out. Another lunged at him as he held up his forearm and stepped in, catching it by the throat mid-lunge. He sunk his feet in flicked it down to the ground as Aerith's blade cut through the head.

"Watch out!" Aerith said, doing a quick seal in the air as her fingertips glimmered with spiritual energy. Cloud turned just in time to see a fireball slam into one of the Gaki and send the others scattering around them as the yokai burned.

"…Guess you really did win that barfight, huh?" Cloud said, settling into his stance as Aerith kept her polearm raised in defense.

"I'm not great a fighting people," Aerith reminded. "This is different."

He wouldn't argue that right now. Aerith took a quick step forward with a stab, jabbing one right in the face as she tucked the shaft for a shorter range as the Gaki moved in, she swung to the left and right as they advanced on her, slicing away their clawing hands. Cloud thrust his katana into the skull of another Gaki and ripped it out to slash downward on another. Aerith's jabs with her blade were keeping any eager ones at bay as they kept to a circle.

"You wouldn't happen to have any fancy trips up your sleeve, would you?" Cloud murmured with a light huff. They weren't difficult, but there were more of them than felt comfortable.

"I have a few," Aerith said, thrusting her naginata and any that grew close. This was going to be a losing battle if they weren't careful. "Can you protect me?"

"I'm a bodyguard, aren't I?" Cloud remarked dryly. "What do you need?"

"Time," Aerith said, giving him a smile. "And a little bit of luck."

"Let's see if I can give you both," Cloud said, launching forward as he sliced down to strike at one of the Gaki as another one attempted to lunge at him, Aerith was right behind him, thrusting her naginata forward to impale the lunging creature and send him to the ground, twisting the blade to kill it as she moved toward the shed. This place needed purified, which she couldn't do alone. But the town had some foundation, and it just needed a little help to get here.

She slammed three more talismans along the door as Cloud covered her, his blade hacking through any of the Gaki who grew too close.

"This is going to probably work!" Aerith assured, clapping her hands together as she prayed, her hands moving through the motions that she had learned as a child: Rin, Pyo, Ko, Toh, Sha, Kai, Jin, Retsu, Zai, Zen…

"Probably!?" Cloud hissed, beheading another Gaki he stabbed another, kicking it off his blade to slice across the face of another attacker. That was when he felt the heat at his back, and he turned just in time to see a bright light as the power crackled off the shed and there was a rush of light. He barely heard the shrill cries of the yokai that were evaporated in an instant as the barrier spread outward. Aerith tilted her head up to see the shimmering energy spread and connect with the rest of the town, exhaling in relief.

"Done!" Aerith said, dusting her hands off with a smile. "See? Easy?"

Cloud stared at her incredulously, sheathing his sword as the children came barreling out. They were dressed in simple kimonos, one of them carrying a club that seemed to have nails fashioned to it like some crude kanabo. It was stained red, and there were four of them.

"Priestess!" They sobbed, clutching her hakama with their dirty hands as they shook and wailed. Aerith smiled, hands on their heads. Cloud's eyes scanned the horizon, hand settled on his katana. He had never seen a Priestess do much of anything, but that…that was impressive.

"Now, now," Aerith soothed. "It's okay, it's okay… everyone is okay, right? Nobody is hurt?" she smiled.

"Ty fought off some of them!" One boy sniffed as Cloud looked over them, the one with the club, it seemed. He had the good sense of mind to look bashful and terrified all at once. "They just jumped us, and…"

"I did my best," Ty sniffled, wiping his face with his arm. "But… but I got scared and-"

"You still defended yourself, and your friends." Cloud added as Aerith glanced at him, the kids were now acutely aware of this samurai, carrying two swords with glowing eyes and wild hair.

"… Whose that?" One girl whispered, her cheeks pink.

"That's my bodyguard," Aerith said. "A ronin bodyguard, he's _really_ good with a sword," she whispered. "And he's kinda cute, huh?" She said, giggling as the girls shared it. Cloud ignored it as the boys stared at him with a sense of awe and wonder.

"You… you fought off the yokai, for real?" Ty whispered, moving towards him. Cloud resisted the urge to settle back on his heels, shoulders tightening a bit.

"Well… yeah," Cloud said after a moment. "I did, it's my job."

"That's so cool!" Ty gushed. Aerith watched him, grinning slyly as Ty gushed all over him. The boys terrors were left alone, and the girls were too busy giggling about how cute he was with Aerith. Honestly, that was better than them being horrified of the situation they had barely escaped from.

"Now, now," Aerith said. "Don't swarm Cloud, we need to get you back the orphanage! Miss Folia is worried sick about all of you, so let's get going before it gets too late, okay?"

Cloud was never good around kids, or… he supposed he was never good around people. Kids just reminded him of how much Nibelhiem was a struggle in fitting in. Ty was either the leader, or he was going to be considering how he actually fought yokai and won.

Ty was also the kid staring at him the entire way there and trying not to get caught.

"Hey," He finally said, as Cloud's glowing eyes settled on him. He tried not to make the kid nervous, but he… had no idea how to do anything around kids in the first place. "You're… really a samurai?"

"Was, yes." Cloud said. "Did you really use that?" he asked, motioning towards the bloodied club on his back. He had a lot of questions about why a kid was running around with it, but Midgar was the kind of city where it felt like everyone should carry _something_.

"Y… Yeah," Ty murmured. "I tried, anyway… they came out of nowhere and-"

"You didn't try, you succeeded," Cloud reminded. "You got everyone safe, right? That's all a samurai needs, the strong protect the weak." Aerith's glance slid back to Cloud and Ty, but she left it alone. It was good enough that he was walking around, talking…and not questioning every single moment.

_That's all a samurai needs, the strong protect the weak!_ Is something that Aerith had heard Zack say. But it was hard to figure out if Cloud knew it because he believed it, or because...well, maybe it wasn't worth worrying about, like she said.   
  
"...Could I be a samurai, then?" Ty said, eyes widening in realization. He knew that look well, it made his temples ache. The hope, the dedication. The one shining moment of glory that made him think his future was laid out for him.  
  
Somehow, he felt disappointed for something he couldn't quite place.  
  
"I think if you keep at it, and listen to your teacher, you will," Cloud assured. "And keep up your practice," 

\--  
  
Ms. Folia was beside herself when they arrived, all the kids exchanged hugs and tears as Aerith dabbed her eyes with a radiant smile. Cloud looked indifferent, if only because he wasn't really sure what he was supposed to be feeling. He didn't really know these kids, but he supposed it was a good thing that they were safe.  
  
"Thank you so much, Priestess," Ms. Folia said, bowing in respect as the children followed suit. Cloud and Aerith returned the bow.  
  
"No no, I'm just happy that everyone is safe," Aerith smiled. "And you can thank Cloud for that!" She said, tapping her knuckles against his chest as he glanced over to her, and then back to the awestruck kids and their grateful teacher.  
  
"...Yeah, no problem," Cloud said politely with a nod. "If you need anything, just let me know, I'm sure Aerith can get ahold of me."  
  
"Yup!" Aerith smiled. "Don't worry about payment right now, Ms. Folia, we're just glad to help." Oh, is that what it was?   
  
"Thank you so much," Ms. Folia said, bowing again. "We'll be sure to repay you, Cloud."  
  
"...Don't worry about it," Cloud said in annoyance, jerking his gaze away. He supposed heroes didn't press people for money, but mercenaries did. He guessed reputation _was_ more important for right now.  
  
"Right," Aerith grinned. "Well, we better be going now, you guys be safe, okay?"   
  
"Thank you again," Ms. Folia said, ushering the children into the orphanage. They were also getting a long talking to...Cloud could sympathize, in some ways. He remembered getting scolded by his mom for almost anything.

"Well," Aerith said, turning to face him. "Since we're here, do you mind if we go see my mother? She's just up the road from here."  
  
"Sure," Cloud said with a shrug. "I go where you go, after all."  
  
"Great, I think she'll really like you," Aerith promised with a smile. "We should pick you some flowers for Tifa, anyway! I think she'd really appreciate them."  
  
"...Maybe," Cloud agreed. He had no idea what kind of flower Tifa even liked, but it was a nice enough thought as they made their way down the path that seemed surprisingly narrow, but Aerith stopped. Cloud stepped in front of her with a light frown.  
  
"Aerith," A deep, rumbling voice said. A tall bald man wearing sunglasses, dressed in head to toe in black. Aerith frowned deeper at that, tucking behind Cloud.   
  
Rude. From the Turks. 


	6. Light Underneath The Shadows

Midgar was a city that was building its own sin. It's not like it was a hidden concept, it was that people had no will left to fight. People whose villages were ransacked by yokai and evil had nowhere else to go but Midgar and hope that it would be better. Old leaders, old samurai had thrown away their loyalties because they had nothing else left. Shinra had cast a wave of violence across the world that nobody could contain.

It was a miserable fact of life to anyone who had a shred of spiritual awareness that Midgar was a sickness on the planet, fueled entirely by the corruption that had been laced into mankind.

So Aerith's mother had always told her, anyway. Not every man who served evil deeds was evil, but did it matter in the end? Rude was not a bad person, she knew that in her heart to be true, but it didn't matter if he kept doing bad things.

"…Rude," Aerith said. "What are you here for?"

"Talking with your mother," Rude said, adjusting his sunglasses as his head tilted to Cloud, who tensed up defensively, hand on his katana."Whose the pretty boy?"

"He's not JUST pretty, he's my bodyguard," Aerith sniffed. "Because this place is dangerous, you know."

"You need a bodyguard?" Rude said, brow raised. "Since when?"

"Since he's pretty," Aerith said, sticking her tongue out. "What's it to you anyway?" Rude shrugged at that. It wasn't anything to him, she and her mother were just priestesses and the only ones really left, even if you could call her mother that.

"I take it you know about the silver-haired yokai, then?" Rude said, Aerith's silence was as much of an answer as anything else. "Mind yourself, he's been spotted everywhere, we were hoping your mother could help us…"

"Sephiroth is here? Where?" Cloud insisted, frowning deeper. So it was true, he really stayed in Midgar? Rude's glance settled back on the blonde-haired guy. His eyes glowed with a familiar intensity that made him curious.

"And who are you, other than a bodyguard, pretty boy?" Rude grunted. Cloud didn't know how to answer that question. Just a day ago he could say with utmost confidence that he was who he thought: A SOLDIER who had lost his way and became a ronin, now…he didn't know. But he did know he still knew how to use a sword, and he knew how to fight.

The rest would come in time.

"A ronin," Cloud frowned. "A very curious one."

"More importantly," Aerith said, stepping between the two of them. "Who is 'we'?"

"Nobody you need to worry about," Rude said plainly. "Things have been getting odd around here, Aerith…mind yourself, and let's hope that bodyguard is as tough as the look he's giving me."

"You wanna find out?" Cloud muttered in annoyance. He never answered his question, and Aerith didn't seem too motivated in making him say.

"Maybe some other time," Rude said, disinterested if amused. "I don't really like to spend my working hours picking fights with ronin."

"It's okay, Cloud," Aerith murmured. "Rude wouldn't do anything like that, I promise," she smiled. Well, he would…but she really didn't want to get into that right now, she really wanted to make sure that Mom was okay.

Cloud hesitated, before relaxing. He wasn't a yokai, he could tell that much…if he was working for Shinra, though…wasn't that bad?

"We'll probably get our chance to dance later, pretty boy," Rude said with a light grunt before he jumped into the air, landing on one ceiling nearby to bound across the rooftops. Aerith pushed ahead and Cloud was quick to follow.

"…Aren't people from Shinra bad?" Cloud frowned.

"Are you?" Aerith said, glancing back at him with a smile. Cloud didn't know how to answer that, so he didn't. Instead, he followed Aerith to the most pristine torii he had ever seen, even counting the ones back home. It looked brand new, almost spotless in every way possible. Stepping into its safety made Cloud feel vaguely nauseous. He wasn’t sure why.

But the _flowers_ took his breath away, it was a small paradise of color in a drab, emotionless home. The house that was here was likely from before: It was constructed almost like a shrine itself, but Cloud noticed the trappings of a house that had been lived in with love and care. It reminded him of home so much that it made his heart hurt.

"Mom?" Aerith called, moving along the bridge as Cloud kept pace with her, casting his eyes along the vast amount of flowers. He felt so strangely at peace here that he almost wanted to sleep as they headed toward the doors. "Mom!"

The sliding door snapped open, and out stepped a woman that made Cloud glance at Aerith and back to her. Ifalna stared at the blonde-haired boy, and then to Aerith. She carried herself with such poise and dignity in her simple kimono that Cloud felt like he had dirted the bridge with his poor manners that he hadn't even done yet. It was uncanny how close they looked to one another.

Her face settled in a sharp, casual intensity that Aerith's bubbly eyes could never produce, it was the look of someone hardened with experience and a life that shaped an iron cage around her daughter, so she could have that optimistic smile that Ifalna could never have.

Cloud didn't know how he felt about relating to a woman who was aging gracefully into her forties, but he wasn't sure how to relate to a lot of things lately.

"Aerith, it's okay," Iflana said with a smile that radiated a warmth that Cloud wasn't expecting as she moved swiftly down the steps. "They just wanted to talk, that's all."

"But-" Aerith pouted. "It's never good when they want to talk to you, Mom!"

"It isn't," Iflana agreed with a hand on her head. "But sometimes it's a good kind of bad."

"That doesn't even make any sense," Aerith mumbled. "But fine, as long as you're okay…you are, right?"

"Yes, Aerith…I'm fine," She said, rolling her eyes. "I'm the Mom here, remember? They didn't do anything, I promise."

"Good, because if they did, I'd send Cloud after them." Aerith said, hands on her hips. "What did they want to talk about, anyway?"

"If you saw Rude on the way in, you probably already know," Iflana said, her sharp gaze settling on Cloud. He suddenly felt the urge to stand straighter. Aerith had spiritual energy rolling off her like a casual wave on a beach, but her mother? Her mother's energy felt like a honed edge that could cut the strongest steel.

…Aerith must have learned her talents from her, he guessed offhand. But she offered Cloud a warm smile all the same.

"Come in for some tea, I just made some lunch."

"Ooh!" Aerith said as she followed her mother in, before Cloud could even protest, he headed inside the homey living room. Kneeling at a table that had already laid out sliced chicken on a bed of rice. It smelled good, if lightly seasoned. The simple life, or just what Midgar had to offer?

"Rice is easy to grow in Midgar," Iflana explained as Cloud's eyes jerked back up to the smiling woman. "It seems even the corrupted ground still wishes to give life," she said, sitting down the tea-set and pouring him a cup. "Your name is Cloud?"

"Yes," Cloud said, nodding in thanks. "Your daughter has…helped me out a lot already, ma'am, thank you for your hospitality."

"So well behaved," Ifalna smiled, clicking her tongue. "Where are you from?"

"…Nibelheim," he said. Ifalna's expression softened immediately. Aerith seemed somewhat ignorant to it as she glanced at both of them in concern, mouth halfway into a slice of chicken.

"I see," Ifalna said. "You are from SOLDIER, aren't you?"

"…I think so," Cloud murmured, staring at his tea. The reflection back at him was his, but the flicker in his eyes made him wonder how true that was. "I lost my memory, a few years are…missing."

"Your aura carries much in it," Ifalna said, sipping from her cup. "A road never traveled but walked with confidence is not the worst fate for a young man, Cloud."

"…What?" Cloud mumbled, glancing up at her as she smiled in amusement.

"Don't worry, be happy?" Ifalna tried again. "I can understand what it is like to want to know more, but these things will arrive in time, forcing a memory will only hurt more."

"…I'll keep that in mind," Cloud said after a while. "But I should get back to Tifa, Aerith, she's probably worried about me."

"She's probably also working," Aerith said, head tilted in thought.

"Oh, you know Tifa? I suppose that makes sense," Ifalna nodded. "Tifa's also from Nibelheim."

"Right," Aerith smiled. "She brought me Cloud to help purify him, the silver-haired yokai had corrupted him." She explained.

"Sephiroth," Cloud said. "His name is Sephiroth, and he's the reason I came here…well, mostly, I had heard of Aerith through rumors and I was going to see what she could do to remove my curse."

"Well, she removed it," Ifalna agreed. "But I doubt you'll notice too much of a difference." She said as Aerith frowned.

"Mom-"

"What do you mean?" Cloud asked.

"You are tainted, Cloud," Ifalna said. "Something has wormed it's way inside you and festered like a disease," she said. "You are suffocating your light with darkness, Aerith only removed what wasn't yours…but I understand," she said, before Cloud spoke up. "Nibelheim is…a rough memory for many, but your memory is like one of many…there are so many wounded souls in this place, that it is impossible to cure all of them"

"But that's okay," Aerith added with a smile. "Everyone has secrets, Cloud…everyone has thoughts and hatred about something, but it shouldn't control you, or your actions."

"…Easier said than done, I guess," Cloud said, shoulders sinking down. "…I just feel really tired, and I want to get back to Tifa, you said she was working?" Honestly, he hadn't even asked her what she did or how she did it. He knew that Zangan had trained her, but he didn't know if that was still what she did…or rather, what she was doing now.

"If she left me with you, then yes," Aerith nodded. "You were definitely not in any condition to help her, but if she'd be anywhere, she'd be at her bar."

She owned a bar? That seemed…very unlike her, did she tell him that? He couldn't remember, his head still felt a little off from everything that had happened. His time in Midgar almost felt like it wasn't real.

"Before that, though…do you know anything about Sephiroth?" Cloud said as he glanced at Ifalna, frowning. "Anything at all, he's here, I know that much."

"Yes," Ifalna murmured. "He is here, the half-yokai man who is lost in his own grief…I don't know much about him, but I know what he carries in him."

"The grief of the planet," Aerith said, trailing off faintly as Ifalna and Cloud settled on her. Oops.

"Aerith," Ifalna frowned deeper. "What do _you_ know?"

"Um, nothing, just…you know," Aerith smiled sheepishly. "I could feel it, Mom, like…the planet speaking to me…" Which wasn't a lie, even if Ifalna wasn't accepting the answer. She was always good at that, perhaps better than her.

"Yes, be that as it may…" Ifalna said, casting a dirty glance at her daughter. "Sephiroth, the silver haired half-yokai…he has lost himself to the corruption of the lifestream," she murmured. "I do not blame him for his grief, but that doesn't mean he isn't worth stopping either…it is impossible to say what he seeks, but the tainted blood within him craves conquest."

"What are you talking about?" Cloud frowned. "Sephiroth went insane and started murdering everyone," and he _found something_ , or so he thought he knew to remember. But now he didn't know how real that was anymore, maybe he was just justifying a half remembered memory into something more real.

"There is a story passed through our people, about the Empress of the Sun," Ifalna murmured, sipping her tea carefully. "She was a beautiful, powerful woman who desired to rule everything the sun set on, any who opposed her were put to the sword, she committed countless atrocities in her name and eventually was executed by the Cetra."

"And what does that have to do with anything?" Cloud said, settling back with a light sigh. "Some woman was a terrible ruler, it's not like Gaia doesn't have a list of those."

"She didn't die," Ifalna said, shaking her head. "Her soul corrupted the lifestream, poisoned it with her evil…and now all who pass through the lifestream to be reincarnated can return with that evil in their heart, any who join SOLDIER bear the burden of a vile woman who refuses to die…and those thoughts can twist the mind more than anything else."

"…Right," Cloud said, rising from his seat. "Well, that's…an interesting story, thank you for hospitality, Ifalna, but I really should be going."

"Of course," Ifalna smiled. "If you want a history lesson sometime, let me know, perhaps it could help you deal with that hole in your heart." History, sure.

"It's not just a story!" Aerith protested as Ifalna waved off her frustrations, which really only frustrated her more. "It's the truth."

"We can't expect everyone to understand, Aerith…after all, there's yokai around, what possible nonsense would a tainted lifestream be?" She said, taking another slow sip of her tea. 

Cloud's gaze settled on Iflana, who returned it with far more cold than he expected.

"…I will not forgive a man who murdered my home," Cloud intoned, frowning. This was idiotic, and he wasn't going to stand here and take this, how could she even suggest such a thing?

"I am not asking you to," Iflana reminded. "His sins are just like yours: beyond your control, a greater evil is at work here, and your refusal to see it will only draw you deeper into the darkness you are trying to defeat, Cloud."

"Thank you for the philosophy lesson, Miss Ifalna," Cloud said, turning to leave. "I'll be sure to remember it during my next meditation, I need to find Tifa."

"Cloud!" Aerith said as he crisply shut the door behind him and Aerith rose up with a sigh. "Mom! You didn't need to do that! He's already going through a lot."

"I'm not blind, Aerith," Ifalna remarked dryly. "I can see that very well, thank you, but the more he refuses to see the truth, the worse his burden will become…and the sooner he understands, the happier he'll be…now, I trust you're going to run off and help him?"

"Yes, I am!" Aerith said, hands on her hips. "Because you were being rude and-"

"Then make sure you're back safe, take some ofuda with you, I'm sure you're running low." Iflana reminded, digging into her lunch.

"I will, thank you for your concern!" Aerith groused, stomping off into the house. Ugh! Why did she have to be so…good at…being a mom!?

\--

Cloud's sins were beyond his control, he had no idea what that meant and he was growing increasingly tired of both Aerith and Iflana's cryptic way of speaking. What sins did he have? What evil did he do that he couldn't remember?

Was he really supposed to believe that some dead woman from who knows how long had poisoned the lifestream, and now that's why people are evil? He crossed his arms in irritation, stopping just outside of the torii that lead to Ifalna's home.

Was she…? No, that sounded like nonsense…but he remembered, something. Something that pricked at his head and made it throb as he frowned deeper, eyes closing. No, he _wanted_ to remember. He wanted to know what was going on in his head.

_SOLDIERs are born by the strength of their character_.

That…was incredibly unhelpful, and not worth the headache it took to force it out. Dammit, why couldn't he think straight? Wasn't he supposed to be fixed?

"Cloud!" Aerith's voice broke away his thoughts as he turned to face Aerith, who looked like she had sprinted the entire way here as she slumped over. He leaned his head back awkwardly as the tip of her naginata was dangerously close to his face.

"Gosh, I'm so sorry! My Mom…" she panted as Cloud carefully adjusted the blade away. "My mom is so enraptured with those stories, I mean…it doesn't matter if they're true or not to you, because you already have so much going on-"

"They're true?" Cloud remarked skeptically. "You seriously believe that."

"Well…yeah," Aerith said, rising with a huff, smiling. "They're stories passed down from generation to generation of Cetra, they're our history, Cloud…why would we lie?" That question was posed so innocently that Cloud didn't know how to answer, he felt like it'd be rude to say anything.

"Whatever," Cloud shrugged. "Look, can you help me get back to Sector 7? I'd really like to let Tifa know I'm okay."

"Sure, sure," Aerith smiled. "I guess I need to pay you for your services as a bodyguard, right?"

"…Right," Cloud murmured. "Are you going to be okay by yourself?"

"Yup," Aerith said, taking a step ahead of him, hands behind her back. "I can handle myself just fine, you saw it!"

"I saw you fight yokai fine," Cloud clarified. "What about everything else?"

"Wow, you're a dedicated professional, aren't you?" Aerith smiled, turning to face him. "Don't worry, okay? Seriously, I'll be fine…besides, I can't be running around all the time, I have actual duities as a Priestess to handle."

"Is your Mom not a priestess too?" he asked as they walked. He had honestly no clue where they were going: Every path looked the same to him, and he was only vaguely aware of the direction he needed to be going.

"Technically, no, but…yes." Aerith said. "She said it was time for me to do it, I think she just did it to keep me out of trouble," she pouted, arms crossing. "I'm not trouble, am I?"

"Yes, without a doubt," Cloud said, glancing around. "You ran blade first into a horde of yokai."

"A Priestess is supposed to protect the people from the danger of the mind and soul," Aerith said, hands on her hips. "What makes you think I wouldn't do that, huh? And you're paid to protect me, not to complain!"

"…Fair," Cloud sighed, shrugging his shoulders. "So, you know where to go, right?"

"Hm, long as you can keep a conversation on the way," Aerith smiled.   
  
"Is that a requirement to my payment?" Cloud grumbled.  
  
"Yes," Aerith said. "Namely, I wanna know _all_ about you and Tifa," she grinned. "And you will not get a single gil until we have this conversation."  
  
"This is blackmail," Cloud sighed, arms crossing. "Fine." He supposed it wouldn't be a bad thing to talk, but Cloud was never good at talking. He preferred to let his actions speak for him.   
  
This was almost not worth the gil.


	7. 7th Heaven

7th Heaven was not where Tifa expected her life to end up when she was in Nibelheim. She had known next to nothing about bartending when she had arrived; she had her talents as kunoichi which was built more on Master Zangan being a rigorously firm and rational teacher than any authentic experience.

But talent in Midgar, where there was talent everywhere could only get you so far. She was beautiful, and people would pay gil out the nose for a pretty face to give them a warm smile and a nice drink. She was not a good bartender, however she was an excellent cook… and warm food did wonders for people to warm up to her between her finding out what the popular beer was and a few drinks to mix.

It was just serendipity that her bar was also built to house anti-shinra efforts, which was easily gleaned from the sour-faced Wutaian carpenter who got soft the moment Tifa gave him some attention and a hot meal. If there was one thing that Master Zangan had taught her, it was to assimilate.

That meant swallowing her good heart and keeping some opinions to herself. Master Zangan had told her she was a talented fighter, but a bad Kunoichi… she didn't disagree with him. It was not their place, as a shadow to have things like opinions and morals. You did as they ordered you for your lord. She had no lord, and therefore she was free to help and do as she wished.

It was true that Midgar was a blight on the planet, and the spiritual health of everyone. But was it any different from risking all of those people in Midgar just to see it won? She didn't know, and she wasn't sure if she had the heart to face that question yet.

There were many rebel cells throughout Midgar, most of them were backed by the former Wutaian Shogunate, which had effectively dissolved during the war and now they were scattered remnants of a once grand army and the faintest strings of nobility left to lead it. But it was something that kept people going for a purpose, and Tifa wasn't the sort of woman to ruin their spirits.

This cell was notable for having the loosest connection to the Shogunate, purely through their methods. They were extreme, if good-hearted and determined. Tifa trusted them, even if she did not entirely follow their methods, she understood their struggles of what it was like to feel so angry.

"So, Cloud huh?" Jessie's amused voice filtered through her thoughts as she was washing some dishes. "A childhood friend?"

"Uh huh," Tifa said. Jessie was probably the strangest example of just how bad it was. A former actress who turned away her life of Shinra comforts to live a life of rebellion, squirreled away in the muck and grime. Her father, supposedly had suffered some kind of accident and Tifa never felt the urge to pry. She knew how deep it could get for Shinra.

"Is he cute?" Jessie prodded, grinning from ear to ear. "Be nice to have some fresh meat out here, your girl is dying for it." Of course, that never seemed to stymie her motivation for being friendly and cheerful, and Tifa had talked to the redhead more often than not.

She couldn't overstate how impressive she thought her ceaseless optimism was, even if Jessie had her own self-doubts about everything. Who would have known an acting career would have turned her into quite the freedom fighter?

"If you're into blonde haired ronin," Tifa smiled. Cloud had never been unattractive: Even when he was young and lanky, he had a stubbornness that she appreciated… but maybe not how she should have. But now, he had developed into a handsome, powerful young man.

"… Are you?" Jessie said with a smirk of her own. "Because if you're not-"

Tifa sat her glass down firmly, making Jessie arch her brow as Tifa pulled out a beer and popped the top and slid it towards her. Tifa didn't know how to express just how that made her feel, but she felt like giving Jessie a free beer was safer than what she really wanted to do.

"… Point made," Jessie smiled. Wow, Tifa gave her a forcibly polite gaze that could freeze over the sun.

"Good," Tifa smiled in return, before letting her shoulders slump with a sigh. "Sorry, Jessie, I didn't mean it like that-"

"No no, it's okay," Jessie assured, taking the free beer and giving it a small sip. "Honestly, I kinda didn't know what you were into… I'm happy to see you're feeling comfortable with something like that."

"It's complicated," She said, elbows on the bar. Usually she was the one who talked people through their problems, she didn't like talking about hers. They weren't worth mentioning, it felt more productive helping others than trying to fix her complexes.

"Do tell," Jessie said. "He married?"

"No."

"Not… into women?"

"I don't… think so?"

"Sounds like to me you're going to get involved anyway," Jessie grinned. "So what's the problem?"

"It's not my place to say," Tifa shook her head. She wanted to say, she wanted to scream at someone about it, but as much as she liked Jessie and trusted her, she wasn't the person for it. She didn't know who that person was, if Tifa couldn't even bother to tell herself, but that was a problem for another day.

"This is the guy you helped to the shrine, right? Well, hopefully Aerith get under the problem so you can get on top of him," Jessie teased. Tifa offered her a smile in return. Speak of the devil, however…

"And this is 7th Heaven! The best bar in all of Midgar!" Aerith's bubbly, cheerful voice cut through the din of the grubby bar as Cloud glanced around when they walked in. Everyone gave Aerith a polite bow in greeting and she waved it off with a friendly smile. Cloud knew a little about Sector 7, but Aerith seemed bound and determined to explain every nook and cranny.

Tifa arched an amused brow as Cloud looked at her, his expression settled in relief and exhaustion. Aerith was probably running the poor boy ragged with her enthusiasm and cheer, Cloud didn't seem to be the sort to appreciate that…at least, not entirely.

"Damn," Jessie whistled. "I almost wish I saw him before I asked anything," What a handsome guy, and that determined face just made it all the better.

"No takebacks," Tifa responded humorlessly. "But… thank you, Jessie, I feel better." She smiled.

"Sure, sure…" Jessie said with a dismissive sigh. "I need to get going anyway, Barret says he has some stuff he wants to talk about, are you-"

"No, thank you," Tifa said. Even if she wanted to, Cloud was out of his element here and she wanted to get him acclimated as soon as possible. He looked a lot better though, she could feel his aura was less suffocating and angry. "There are some loose ends I need to tie up with some other work."

"Uh huh," Jessie said skeptically, but Tifa's smile was never wavering. Man, Jessie could never figure Tifa out sometimes. "But Barret is going to need some extra hands coming up, alright?"

"Yeah, I know," Tifa assured as Cloud and Aerith moved to the front of the bar and she settled her hands on the counter as the redhead offered Cloud a friendly smile which he returned with a polite nod.

"Alright then, see ya," Jessie said in passing as Cloud looked around the worn-down, homey looking bar. There were a lot of things that Cloud had thought about when arriving to Midgar, he didn't expect to see Tifa or see her run a bar. But seemed in her element, whatever that element was.

"You feeling better?" Tifa asked him, and he nodded.

"Yeah, it's… still hazy, but not so heavy," Cloud murmured. "It's nice not getting jumped every single time I step outside, at least."

"Well, not by demons anyway, if you go to the right spot in Midgar, it might still happen," Tifa teased. "Thanks for your help, Aerith."

"Not at all," Aerith smiled, patting Cloud on the back. "He was a big help today, he's already starting a sterling reputation as a man who gets things done!"

"… I uh, saved some kids," Cloud said as Tifa smiled in amusement. "No big deal, just doing my job." He felt accomplished that way, and feeling like he could be that person made the younger boy in him proud.

"I see," Tifa said. "Well, hero, I guess that means you get a free drink."

… Cloud had barely touched alcohol in his life. What was one he even knew?

"Sake," Cloud said cooly "Please."

"Ah, the traditional choice for a traditional warrior of old," Tifa teased, setting a bottle on the counter and pouring him a small cup. Cloud took it with a light nod and took a slow sip.

"Well, he's all yours," Aerith told Tifa with a smile. "I did what I could, the rest is up to him."

"Thank you, Aerith," Tifa said as Cloud silently tended to his drink, as only a stoic warrior could do. She turned back to some food already prepared and handed Aerith a stick of dango, her eyes lit up happily.

"Here, for your trouble," Tifa smiled.

"Ooh, thank you!" Aerith said cheerfully, taking the treat. "You behave for Tifa now Cloud, okay?"

"I should say the same to you," Cloud remarked, brow raised. "Don't get in trouble on your way back."

"Oh, come on, when's the last time I've gotten in trouble?" Aerith waved off with a giggle as Tifa and Cloud stared at her. Their gaze was not left unnoticed as she frowned. "Hey," she pouted. "I know how to get around safely!"

"You do," Tifa smiled. "My apologies, Priestess, have a safe journey… and thank you again for helping Cloud."

"Not at all," Aerith promised with a polite bow. "Cloud, try not to wander too far from your path, okay? Walk the road you're on, and you will find your destination before you know it."

"… Thanks," Cloud said passively, taking a slow sip of his sake. He needed something to spike his thoughts before he got irritated at all the cryptic lessons he'd been getting from Aerith and her mother.

Tifa watched Aerith leave with a faint tilt of her head, before focusing back to Cloud.

"Do you feel any different?" she asked. "Now that it's settled in, I mean."

Cloud gave it some thought, letting out a light breath. "Yeah, a little…things don't feel so…heavy, I suppose." he murmured as he stared down at the clear, potent liquid. He had no idea sake was so strong. "I don't really know."

"You don't?" Tifa said curiously. "What do you mean?"

"I… don't know," Cloud said, glancing at her. "It's like being busy, and then… not, all of a sudden." he murmured. "I've never had a time where I wasn't thinking about something, and now I don't think I'm thinking about much of anything."

"Wow," Tifa said, arms on the bar. "That sounds kind of nice, honestly." She wished she could do that, but it came with a cost anyway: Cloud couldn't remember the last few years…and for Tifa, that'd be heartbreaking.

"It sort of is," Cloud said. "But now I don't really know what to think, or do."

"Well," Tifa said. "You said you wanted to make a name for yourself, right? There's lots of people who need work done that the militias can't always do, and Shinra isn't going to help anyone," she shrugged. "Why not plant your roots here?"

"I don't think I have much choice," Cloud murmured. "I don't know anything about this place, even if I did want to find Sephiroth."

"Well, word travels fast here," Tifa smiled. "I could be your first client," she winked. "Your payment is the room and board earlier, but I know you can't work off that, so why don't you come help me collect payments on water filters?"

"Huh?" Cloud mumbled. "Seriously?"

"Yes, seriously, or are you too good for your job you just started?" Tifa laughed. "Come on, all you have to do is look tough and be another face for me, okay?"

"Why do you need my help?" Cloud said, brows raised.

"Because sometimes, people don't take me seriously," Tifa shrugged. "And I'd rather not be serious, these people mean well, they're just used to their ways, is all."

The fact that people did not take Tifa seriously was both confusing and horrifying. Did they have any idea what she was capable of? Was she… hiding it? Seeing her so boldly fight his own anger (from what…he recalled?) made that friendly smile of hers take on a decidedly different lean to it. He kind of liked it.

"Right," Cloud sighed. "So I'm going to be the bad cop to your good cop?"

"You got it," Tifa beamed. "Thanks a bunch, we've got a few places need to check because we haven't got our payments yet, it's one of the better ways to make money around here, Jessie, the redhead you saw? She's the one that makes them."

"Huh," Cloud said. "You don't make enough money running this bar?"

"The money from the filters isn't for the bar," Tifa said, shaking her head. "It's for AVALANCHE."

"Should I know what that is?" It sounded important, but he also saw graffiti on every wall and rock he could find, was all of that important too?

"Sort of," Tifa said, her expression growing a little less warm. "They're one of the many groups rebelling against Shinra in Midgar, most of them are funded by the Wutaian shogunate."

"That's still around?" Cloud said, frowning. He remembered that much, the war against Wutai did not go well in Wutai's favor. "Wasn't the island burned to the ground?"

"Yeah, practically," Tifa grimaced. "I'm not really sure of the details. Some people say that the shogunate is somewhere in Midgar, or maybe they're in Kalm…but they keep funding these groups to cause problems. AVALANCHE, uh…isn't one of them."

"Why not?" Cloud said, taking another sip of his sake.

"Too extreme."

That made Cloud pause in thought. Too extreme, to a group of people whose entire homeland had been razed to the ground? That raised several questions that made his skin crawl somewhat, but he wasn't really sure why either. His temples twitched.

"Huh," Cloud murmured. "So, a bunch of crazy people too crazy to join the rest? And you're helping them?"

"Help is a…strong word," Tifa murmured. "I guess I relate to them, in a way…but I'm helping on my own too, it's just easier if I have this foundation so I can do what I'm good at."

"And what is that?" Cloud said.

"Things Kunoichi are good at," Tifa smiled.

"And that is…?"

"Seduction, assassination, information gathering…" Tifa trailed off, "You know, shinobi stuff, just prettier."

"Didn't really peg you for that kind of person, Tifa," Cloud admitted. "But, I guess I don't really know the person I am, either." It was meant to sound humorous, maybe a little self-deprecating in a harmless way… but instead, he was staring at his now empty cup like it would give him some kind of answer.

"Well," Tifa said, hand over his. "I know you're a really talented swordsman, who's trying to find his place in a really messed up world like the rest of us," she said, smiling. "I can't tell you what to do, Cloud…but I'm sure you can find a purpose here that's more than just Sephiroth."

"Probably," Cloud said, but it was non-committal. There was too much riding on Sephiroth for him to just cast it aside. "You're a kunoichi, right? You know someone who can direct me to where I could look?"

"Cloud…" Tifa sighed heavily. "Looking for a yokai, even one as… distinct as him in Midgar isn't going to be easy, there's yokai everywhere, and not many of them appreciate humans sticking their nose in where it doesn't belong."

"I figured, but… still," Cloud murmured. "I have to do this, Tifa."

Some things really didn't change with Cloud, but then again… how could he? He didn't remember the past few years. It was a strange, confusing mishmash of someone who was growing up and someone who stubbornly attached himself to his younger years, because he didn't know what the other years were.

"Alright," Tifa said after a moment. "I'll help you, but we do it my way, deal?"

"Meaning…"

"Meaning that you can't just shoot off into the slums of Midgar and end up getting killed, you need to make yourself a known person here, yokai will work with humans, but some new guy sniffing around is going to cause you a lot of problems." Tifa reminded. "So we get you to be a local, like I said earlier."

"Is that really the best way?" Cloud grumbled. "Couldn't I just find them?"

"Yes, but you might make the entire city mad in the process if you just strong-arm your way into everything," Tifa reminded. "Look, do you want to find him or not?"

"Fine," Cloud huffed, not that he really had a choice: Tifa and Aerith both knew this place better than he ever could, and if he wanted even a slight chance of finding Sephiroth sooner rather than later, he needed their help. "Where should I start?"

"With not being so difficult," Tifa remarked, arms on the bar with a smirk. "I want to help you, Cloud… I'm not trying to get in your way, I just want you to be safe when you do this, is that so wrong?"

"No, it's not," Cloud sighed, his shoulders relaxing. "Sorry."

"It's fine," Tifa assured. It kind of wasn't, but this wasn't a fight she wanted to pick today. "We'll get you started with some local watch work, and I'll put some feelers out for who you can get in touch with on less…um, well…"

"I'd be working with yokai," Cloud stated after a moment of thought. "And this will help me?"

"It won't hurt you," Tifa smiled in assurance. "Trust me, okay?"

Not like he had a choice.

"Fine, who are we going to see to get this started?"

"The head of the neighborhood watch," Tifa said, shifting out from behind the bar. "Stop looking so sour, do you not want to spend more time with me?" She said with a playful grin.

That Kunoichi training was dangerous. He knew it was bait and yet he still felt the mild pang of guilt over it as he followed. Cloud was never good at being subtle, or handling subtlety. Especially not when people were being nice.

"… I missed you a lot," Cloud admitted. "Sometimes I thought about you."

… Oh.

_Oh._

Tifa was glad she was face first, so she could at least have the strength of her voice to hide the way her face lit up like the color of her eyes.

"Really?" Tifa said, face forward as they headed outside. "You did?"

"… Yes, well… I mean," Cloud mumbled, rubbing his neck. "I didn't really remember much else, at… at the time, and-"

"I get it," Tifa said, turning to smile warmly at him. "It's okay, I understand," she assured. "And I thought about you too, I'm glad you're here and we can see each other again."

"… Yeah," Cloud agreed after a moment, and the walk grew increasingly silent as Tifa was doing everything in her power to keep her heart from slamming into her jaw. She remembered him as a kid, so desperate to prove himself. She always found that fire in his eyes to be so... addicting. In a nowhere town, he had dreams and the drive to see them, and Tifa had always hoped somewhere that he had found them.  
  
But life changed, and so did she. Cloud would have changed too, but she supposed no change was...a change of itself. She wasn't that same girl, but Cloud thought she was. Her heart flip-flopped on what that really meant, but that didn't dim her joy any.  
  
The walk along Sector 7 was the most pleasant she had in a long time.


End file.
